Chapter 2 From Enemies to Fiancés
The bystanders watched with a sense of eager curiosity, murmuring animatedly amongst themselves.
"What the hell is happening? Breaking her engagement? Asking Ethan to marry her instead? Has Kate completely lost her mind?"
"I know, right? Of all people, she picked Ethan. She must have a death wish. Besides, why would someone like him ever look twice at her?"
Ethan, CEO of Levington Group.
Amberhaven's most eligible and untouchable bachelor. Every woman in the city desired him, yet feared his icy demeanor and ruthless reputation.
For years, countless women had attempted to get close to him. Each one had eventually crashed and burned, their reputations in tatters.
Everyone knew Ethan didn't do relationships. Period.
What made Kate think she stood a chance?
The entire crowd held their breath, eagerly anticipating the spectacular public humiliation about to unfold. Even Kate's own family seemed to be waiting for the show.
But just as everyone expected Ethan to crush her, he spoke.
"Are you certain?"
The crowd gasped.
Something wasn't right. His reaction didn't suggest he was about to humiliate Kate—it sounded almost... intimate.
"I'm certain," Kate replied, her voice hoarse yet unwavering.
Ethan studied her face, seemingly searching for something. Suddenly, tears began streaming down Kate's cheeks, beyond her control.
Ethan's brow furrowed immediately, his chest tightening.
Why was she crying? Had he frightened her? But he hadn't even said anything yet. Instinctively, he raised his hand to wipe away her tears. Kate leaned into his touch, the warmth of his hand against her skin making her cry even harder.
"Don't cry. If you want to get engaged, I'll do it."
Thinking she was being temperamental, Ethan remained unaware that Kate was reacting to his living presence—warm and alive, unlike the dying man she'd seen in her previous life.
His hand was warm, comforting.
She clasped his hand tightly against her cheek. Ethan grew increasingly confused by her behavior. As her tears flowed more freely, he felt an inexplicable irritation rising within him.
Had Blake mistreated her? Or was this another one of her games?
Ethan reached to pull her up, intending to ask what was happening, but Kate misinterpreted his movement as rejection and clung to him even tighter.
"Kate! Let go."
Ethan could barely breathe in her grip, but instead of releasing him, Kate held on even tighter.
"I won't let go. I won't."
She feared that if she released him, he would disappear—leave her forever.
In her previous life, today had been the last day she'd seen Ethan before they became bitter enemies. She had hurled cruel words at him, completely blind to his love.
This time around, she would never let him go again.
Kate shook her head against his chest, and Ethan felt both irritated and oddly helpless. "Kate, what exactly do you want?"
"To be engaged to you."
"I already agreed, didn't I? I'll arrange the engagement party for tomorrow—"
Ethan tried to create some space between them, but Kate wouldn't budge. Her grip remained firm as she lifted her face to look at him, cutting him off mid-sentence with her raspy voice.
"Not tomorrow. I want to be engaged to you right now."
She knew he had a ring.
Because today, he had originally planned to take her away, but she had refused.
Her gaze burned with intensity. Ethan's eyes darkened as he studied Kate's earnest expression, feeling strangely disoriented.
He had assumed the engagement talk was merely a joke.
But now, her words left him momentarily speechless.
To Kate, his silence felt like an eternity.
Then, a low chuckle escaped his throat, carrying a barely perceptible tenderness.
"Alright, right now it is."
After he finished speaking, he reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box.
As he opened it, a pigeon-blood ruby caught the light, sending crimson reflections dancing across the room. It had been his mother's engagement ring, a piece famous throughout Amberhaven society.
Richard watched in horror as Ethan revealed the ring. He stepped forward to intervene, his face ashen. "Ethan, this isn't proper."
"Since when do I care about propriety when it comes to my own engagement?" Ethan's cold glare swept over Richard, the oppressive force of his presence instantly silencing Kate's father.
He took Kate's hand and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, as if made for her.
"From this moment on, she is my fiancée."
With that declaration, Ethan bent down and swept Kate into his arms, carrying her out through the crowd of stunned guests and straight to his waiting car.
Inside the car, Kate still hadn't let go. Ethan didn't force her to, but once they arrived at their destination, he spoke calmly.
"We're at your house. You should get out now."
He seemed to have forgotten everything that had just happened. Kate wasn't having it. She gazed at Ethan longingly, looking as if she wanted to memorize every detail of his face.
"I'm not going home."
Ethan looked at her. "Then where do you plan to go?"
"I'm your fiancée now. I want to be with you. Take me to your place."
Kate pressed herself against Ethan like a clingy rabbit. Ethan frowned, his voice turning cold.
"Kate, haven't you played this game long enough?"
Game?
Kate paused, then realized what he meant. She pressed her lips together.
Knowing Ethan didn't believe her, she raised her hand in solemn oath. "I'm not playing games."
Kate spoke with such sincerity that Ethan simply stared at her, his expression unchanged. His eyes betrayed his disbelief in her words.
Suddenly, Kate climbed onto Ethan's lap, straddling him. Ethan's body tensed immediately. In the next moment, he turned his head, and the driver promptly raised the privacy partition. Ethan's expression darkened dangerously.
"Have you no shame? The driver is right there."
"No, I don't care. You're my fiancé, and I'll sit on your lap if I want to."
Her straightforward answer caught him off guard.
Ethan wasn't convinced. He gave her a cold smile and suddenly pulled her closer. Their sudden proximity made Kate blush.
Her earlier courage faltered, and she instinctively tried to create some distance. When she retreated, Ethan's smile grew colder.
"Can't keep up the act anymore? I've heard Blake will be participating in the new aviation uniform design competition next week. Are you using your feminine wiles for his benefit?"
"Are you after the design blueprints, or just fishing for insider information?"
Ethan's questions came in rapid succession as he moved closer. Kate was confused but remained silent. Ethan interpreted her silence as confirmation, and his anger became palpable.
"Sacrificing your reputation to help him. Kate, you really are foolish."
Ethan's headache worsened with his anger. He pushed Kate back to her seat, but she immediately launched herself at him again.
His patience exhausted, he turned to reprimand her. But before he could speak, Kate's face suddenly filled his vision, and the next moment, the soft press of her lips against his left him completely stunned.
After a while, Ethan finally pulled her away.
"Kate, you—"
"Ethan, I know you don't fully trust me yet. Words are cheap, so I'm showing you with actions. Do you believe me now?"
Ethan thought, 'Believe what? She's lost her mind! Going this far to help Blake? She even kissed me? Has she forgotten that she once said even touching me made her feel sick?'
Did she ever actually say that?
Kate tried to recall, vaguely remembering it might have been something from long ago. She hadn't realized Ethan still remembered it.
Kate wanted to take back those words.
But suddenly, she noticed something strange.
Ethan's lips hadn't moved just now. Had he spoken at all?
Was this a side effect of her rebirth—hearing things?