"You said you love me? Then beg for it. Beg for my love. Show me-prove it again and again until I say yes."
Beatrix is a girl of few words, someone who keeps her emotions locked away, unwilling to let anyone close. After experiencing deep trust issu...
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Beatrix :
After leaving the café, I pulled out my notebook and shared my list for our research project. I expected some feedback, maybe a few suggestions—but what I didn’t expect was Ethan pulling out his own list.
And it was better. Way better.
I scanned his choices, impressed by how well-thought-out they were. He’d picked businesses that would be easy to approach, ones that wouldn’t hesitate to share information.
"Do you come from a business family?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Ethan shrugged. "Yeah, kind of."
"That explains it!" I said with a grin. "Should we follow your lead, then?"
"Hey, you brought your car, right?" Ryle asked, slinging an arm over Ethan’s shoulder in a playful half-hug.
Martha smirked. "Didn’t you say you’re not using your dad’s money anymore?"
Ethan rolled his eyes but grinned. "Yeah, the car's mine. So is the credit card. What, you want me to starve?"
Martha and Ryle burst into laughter at Ethan’s response, their amusement echoing through the open air.
"Hey, come on!" Ethan protested, though his grin didn’t fade. "He’s my dad, and I’m his kid. He’s got to support me until I start making my own money."
With that, he turned on his heel and started toward the parking lot.
"Should we go with you?" I called after him.
"No, wait here!" he shouted back, waving a hand dismissively without looking over his shoulder.
I exchanged a glance with Martha and Ryle.
"Oh… okay," I muttered, watching as he disappeared into the crowd.
So Something is going on between Ethan and his dad?
We moved from one place to another, and it didn’t take long for me to realize just how much easier everything was because of Ethan.
He had a way of getting us through doors that would normally be closed, slipping past gatekeepers with effortless charm. Places that would have required appointments suddenly welcomed us in, and people who might have brushed us off were more than happy to share information.
I had misjudged him. He wasn’t slacking off—far from it. If anything, he was the reason we were making such rapid progress, gathering accurate data without the usual roadblocks.
As we went from one meeting to the next, I found myself feeling unexpectedly grateful. Not just for the head start he gave us, but for the opportunity to meet so many interesting people along the way.
"Hey, isn't it enough for today?" Martha sighed, stretching her arms above her head.
I glanced at my phone—4:30. I had completely lost track of time in the excitement of our progress.
