Chapter 8

Ethan arrived early for dinner that evening. The atmosphere was quite cold and awkward. I struggled to make conversation, but he seemed like a conversation-killing machine, uninterested in engaging no matter what I said.

Feeling exhausted, I set my fork and knife down heavily on the table.

"Mr. Shen, your behavior is making me feel like you don't actually want to start a family together."

Ethan's Adam's apple bobbed as he lowered his head and apologized.

"I'm sorry."

"You know that's not what I want to hear," I said, truly exasperated.

"You've run your company for so many years, rarely losing at the negotiating table. Your insight into human nature should be flawless. And yet now you're like this...

"It makes me think you're not actually interested in me at all."

Ethan's face paled. His fingertips dug tightly into his palms, drawing faint traces of blood.

"Don't overthink it," he said. "I'm just... not used to being this close to you."

His sudden, almost confession-like words surprised me.

His nervousness and melancholy, along with the blood on his palms, didn't seem fake.

I suddenly remembered what his assistant had said in my past life: "The boss's depression was very severe. Only when he saw you did he feel a little better..."

"Mr. Shen," I asked, suddenly very curious, "Did we know each other before?"