Chapter 1

“Get off me when you’re done playing around.”

Ethan said that while I was sprawled across him, biting his ear.

His girlfriend, Chloe, stood in the doorway of his bedroom, watching us.

I didn’t answer. I only moved my lips away from his ear and started kissing his Adam’s apple instead.

I felt Ethan’s large hand settle on my waist. The next second, he flipped me off the bed.

When Ethan threw me off the bed, my fragile head struck the floor of his bedroom and split open.

Just like that, I ended up in the hospital.

By the time Chloe turned on the bedroom light, I was lying helplessly on the floor.

“Ava, stop pretending. Get up and get out.” Ethan had never been one to indulge me. He only thought I was in the way.

“Ethan, her head is bleeding!” Chloe hurried over and tried to stop the bleeding.

Thank goodness for Chloe. Otherwise, Ethan would probably have left me lying there until I died.

Ethan let out a quiet sigh and sat up in bed.

I was still dazed when I felt a pair of strong arms lift me from the floor and carry me out of the room.

What a mess. Ethan had a fever and a cold, yet he still had to rescue a menace like me.

His arms were incredibly warm, though, and surrounded by the faint scent of mint. I passed out in his embrace.

By the time I woke up again, I was already in the hospital.

The smell of disinfectant surrounded me. Soft voices murmured in the hospital room.

“Ethan, I asked Ava to take care of you. How did she end up taking care of herself into the hospital?” That was my best friend, Lily.

She was the reason Ethan had been able to throw me off the bed in the first place.

Ethan was Lily’s uncle. After I confessed my feelings for him, Lily had taken every opportunity to play matchmaker.

Ethan spoke. His voice was slightly hoarse from his cold, but there wasn’t a trace of emotion in it.

“You can ask her when she wakes up.”

Then maybe I really shouldn’t have woken up.

“Ava, I saw your eyelashes move.” Ethan was truly heartless.

I couldn’t keep pretending.

I acted as if I had just woken up and slowly opened my eyes. Besides Lily and Ethan, who were speaking in low voices, Chloe was also in the room.

Lily leaned close to me.

“What happened, Ava?”

Her long eyelashes nearly brushed my face. I pushed her away with the hand that wasn’t hooked up to an IV.

“Lily, who are these two?”

Lily had always been easy to fool. Apparently, all the deviousness in her family had gone to Ethan.

She reached out to feel my forehead.

“Sweetie, are you okay? This is my uncle.”

I pushed her hand away and smiled at Ethan.

“Nice to meet you.”

Then I shifted my gaze to Chloe. She was beautiful, with fair skin and delicate features. Her eyes were especially captivating.

“And this must be your wife. Nice to meet you too.”

Ethan just looked at me with an unreadable smile.

The look made my scalp prickle.

I was so stupid. Seriously, what was I thinking, pretending to have amnesia in front of this old wolf?

Lily, on the other hand, immediately started making a fuss and headed for the door.

“Ethan, did Ava lose her mind? I’m going to get a doctor.”

“I’ll go with Lily.” Chloe followed Lily out. Maybe she could tell Ethan was about to lecture me, so she thoughtfully left us some privacy.

“Ava, stop clinging to me. I don’t have that much time to play with you.” Once everyone had left the room, Ethan finally stopped pretending to be polite.