A Matrilocal Husband's Counterattack

Chapter 33: What Do You Want?

At 11 p.m., Ethan and Sophia returned to the Thompson family home.
Timothy and Linda had already gone to bed, so the couple moved quietly.

Although Ethan was still thinking about the old man's condition, he had to set it aside since the Givenchy girl had treated him like a fraud.
Perhaps because the treatment wasn't complete, the white glow in his Life-Death Jade hadn't increased and remained at two fragments.

Ethan was the last to shower. After drying his hair and finishing his laundry, he opened the bedroom door.
To his surprise, Sophia was still awake, with her bedside lamp on, chatting on a video call.

Curled up in bed, Sophia was casually dressed in a white silk camisole nightgown, its smooth texture accentuating her delicate skin.
Most of her fair complexion was exposed, and the lace trim on her thighs was faintly visible.
Noticing Ethan entering, she quickly grabbed the blanket, covering herself entirely.

On the other end of the video call was a sharp-featured woman with fair legs crossed elegantly on a sofa.
Ethan recognized her immediately: Luna Bright, Sophia's distant cousin who often looked down on him.

"Oh, Sophia, you've recovered from your illness. Why haven't you divorced that loser yet?" Luna's sharp tone cut through.
"And why are you letting him stay in the same bedroom with you?"

Sophia glanced at Ethan and replied calmly, "He's my legal husband. Where else should he sleep?"

"Oh, I remember now. You said he sleeps under the bed." Luna smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"But having a man and a woman in the same room—doesn't look good, does it?"
"You wouldn't want my brother to find out. He'd be upset," Luna added with a sly undertone.

Ethan frowned slightly. He knew of Luna's brother, Vincent Bright, a well-known heir in ZH City.
Vincent had once publicly declared his love for Sophia, claiming he would live and die for her.
But upon learning of her illness, he abruptly left the country, seemingly avoiding being asked to marry into the Thompson family to "bring good luck."
Luna had also cut ties with Sophia during that time, only to reconnect recently for unknown reasons.

"I have nothing to do with your brother," Sophia replied lazily. "Why should I care if he's upset?"
"Sophia, I've always thought of you as my future sister-in-law," Luna insisted.
"Except for my brother, no one else deserves you."

Luna's tone turned resentful. "If he hadn't left for urgent business a year ago, you would have been married to him by now. That loser wouldn't have had the chance to touch you."
She continued, "Sophia, when are you divorcing that deadbeat? My brother's coming back in a couple of days. He'll pursue you again."

"Divorce?" Sophia glanced at Ethan, her tone laced with defiance. "We'll see."

Ethan let out a bitter smile, understanding she was still upset with him.

"What do you mean 'we'll see'? You have to divorce him!" Luna's face darkened. "How else will you marry my brother and join the Bright family?"

Sophia frowned. "Luna, there's no future for me and your brother."

"My brother's exceptional, and many women want to marry him. I'm only considering you because we're friends."
Luna tilted her chin. "Don't play hard to get, Sophia."

Sophia leaned back against her pillow. "Let's drop this. I have a meeting tomorrow. Good night."

"Fine, fine. Good night."
But Luna couldn't resist adding, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Remember to stay virtuous. Don't let that loser take advantage of you."
"My brother will want proof of your purity on your wedding night. If anything happens, I won't be able to save you or Ethan."

Sophia frowned and ended the video call.

Ethan, having dried his hair, spread out his bedding on the floor silently. Sweet-talking wasn't his forte.

Sophia clenched her fists in frustration. This jerk had almost caused a disaster tonight. Shouldn't he say something to me?

She thought of how he ignored her warnings and got scolded by the Givenchy girl. Her annoyance surged, leaving her restless.
Unable to hold back, she stormed out of the bedroom.

"Ethan, I want to set some ground rules with you!" she declared.

Ethan sat up. "Go ahead."

Sophia lifted her chin. "First, from now on, show some ambition. Stop being seen as a loser."

Ethan softened his gaze. "Alright."

"Second, stop playing doctor recklessly. It's dangerous for you and others."
Sophia snorted. "I know you're kind-hearted. Seeing patients reminds you of your mother, and you empathize with them."
"But you can't overestimate yourself. That could harm others and bring trouble to you."
She stared coldly at Ethan. "Promise me you won't practice medicine carelessly again."

Ethan nodded. "Alright, I promise."
He knew his treatments were targeted and effective, far from "careless."

Sophia sighed in relief. "Third, find a proper job soon. I don't expect a high salary, just something respectable."

Ethan hesitated briefly but eventually nodded. "Fine."

"You promised." Sophia's face softened slightly.
"If you go back on your word, I'll report you to your mother."

Her lips curled into a slight smile. "Any objections?"

Over the past year, Ethan had brought her nothing but shame and disappointment.
These past few days had offered a glimmer of hope, and Sophia didn't want him to ruin it with reckless behavior.

"If I meet all your requirements," Ethan asked with a grin, scratching his head, "what's my reward?"

Sophia blushed after a moment's thought. "What do you want?"

Ethan grinned mischievously. "I want to sleep with you..."

"You beast! You scoundrel!"
Sophia slammed the door shut, cursing him under her breath.
How shameless! I'm trying to help him improve, and he's thinking about sleeping with me? Unbelievable!

Yet, she found herself less repulsed by him than before.

"I just wanted to sleep in the bedroom..." Ethan mumbled to himself, lying back down with a chuckle.
Today had been a good day; their relationship had taken a meaningful step forward.

His thoughts shifted to Sophia's financial troubles. Her struggle was his too.

Fifty million...
The thought gave him a headache. Although he had made over ten million in the past week, it was still far from enough.
He clenched his fist. He needed to work harder.

"Isn't the floor cold?"
Sophia's voice floated out from the bedroom.

"Not cold..." Ethan instinctively replied, then immediately slapped himself for missing an opportunity.