Chapter 271: Chapter 269: Take Responsibility for a Lifetime? (20)

"It’s not that I don’t trust you—it’s that you don’t trust yourself. Rather than saying I abandoned you, it would be more accurate to say you’ve abandoned yourself. Jean, causing a scene like this will only make things more awkward. It won’t change the outcome."

She shook her head violently. "It will! Ethan Ellsworth, choose—me or her. If you choose her, I’ll jump from here. I’ll die for you to see! I refuse to accept this. You loved me for so many years, how can you just say you don’t love me anymore?"

Ethan Ellsworth, afraid of agitating her, could only say, "Come over here so we can talk properly, alright?"

"I’m not coming over! If we’re going to talk, we’ll say everything right here!"

Helpless, Ethan Ellsworth waited in silence for a few minutes. Mrs. and Mr. Grant arrived. They had already called Quentin Grant and told him to come back.

Mrs. Ellsworth and Mr. Ellsworth also rushed over. Chloe Marshall didn’t get out of the car, afraid that her presence would agitate Jean Grant even more.

"Jean! What are you doing?!" Mrs. Grant was practically about to faint, overcome with anger and fear.

"Jean! Whatever it is that you can’t get over, just come here first so we can talk, okay?" Mrs. Ellsworth added, trying to coax her gently.

"I don’t believe a word you say! Ellsworth, you used to like me so much, but now you do nothing but help Chloe Marshall. I don’t believe you!"

After saying this, Jean Grant looked at Ethan Ellsworth. "Say something! Do you want me, or do you want Chloe Marshall?"

The question was an ultimatum: choose Chloe Marshall, and she would jump; choose her, and she would come over.

She was threatening him with her own death.

This deeply wounded Ethan Ellsworth. He hated this. He liked to pursue what he wanted; otherwise, he wouldn’t have loved her for so many years.

Tears streamed down Mrs. Grant’s face. She grabbed Ethan Ellsworth’s arm and pleaded, "Ellsworth, hurry up and say you choose her. Just get her to come over first, then we can talk."

Mrs. Ellsworth stood to the side, silent.

Mr. Ellsworth chimed in, "Ellsworth, just get her to come over first."

Ethan Ellsworth looked up at her. "I choose you. Come over."

But Jean Grant seemed to see right through him. "You’re all in on this together! Ethan Ellsworth, call the entertainment media right now and make a global announcement. Only then will I come over!"

Ethan Ellsworth turned his head to glance at Chloe Marshall in the car. She nodded at him, signaling that she didn’t mind.

He nodded. "Alright."

He personally made the call and broke the story.

The news spread rapidly, blowing up online.

Jean Grant saw the news on her phone and finally dropped her guard, preparing to go over.

However, after taking just a few steps, she noticed Chloe Marshall in the car.

"Who told you to bring her! Make her get lost! I don’t want to see her!"

In Ethan Ellsworth’s eyes, this Jean Grant was an absolute lunatic.

He said calmly, "We’re a long way from the city. It would take her all day to walk back."

Jean Grant became agitated. "No! Make her leave!"

Afraid her daughter would really do something, Mrs. Grant ran over to Ethan Ellsworth’s car. "You need to leave this place right now!"

Mrs. Ellsworth tried to reason with her. "She can’t drive. How is she supposed to get back from this far out?!"

Mrs. Grant had lost all reason. "I don’t care! If anything happens to our Jean, she’s the one to blame!"

Mrs. Ellsworth was too angry to argue. She turned to Chloe and said, "Chloe, how about you wait for us at the intersection up ahead? We’ll pick you up after we get her in the car, alright?"

Chloe Marshall opened the door. "Okay."

She started walking down the road.

By all rights, Jean Grant should have come over now, but she didn’t move.

"Jean, she’s gone. Hurry and come over!"

Tears streamed down Jean Grant’s face. "Ethan Ellsworth, do you still love me? Tell me."

Ethan Ellsworth clenched his fists. He couldn’t just watch her die.

"I love you. Come over." His heart trembled as he spoke the words.

’I did love you once, but that was a long time ago.’

’Are the words "I love you" really that important?’

’If saying them can save a life, then why not?’

’I’ve put on this act so many times before. What’s one more?’

Seeing that she still didn’t move, Ethan Ellsworth had no choice but to slowly approach and pull her back.

Jean Grant threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Don’t leave me." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Ethan Ellsworth turned and, holding her hand, walked toward their parents.

With tears welling in her eyes, Mrs. Grant said, "Jean, you’re being so foolish!"

Jean Grant laughed. Reeking of alcohol, she seemed like a little girl. "I knew Ethan Ellsworth wouldn’t just abandon me."

Mrs. Ellsworth was speechless, but finally said, "Jean, you’re a grown woman. How can you be so childish? What do you think would have happened if our Ellsworth hadn’t come?"

"I knew he would come."

It was pure conviction.

Mrs. Ellsworth waved her hand dismissively. "Alright, let’s all get in the cars."

Jean Grant sat in the front passenger seat. Even in the car, she refused to let go of Ethan Ellsworth’s hand.

The three cars drove away.

Chloe Marshall was sitting by the intersection, leaning against a large tree, waiting for the car. As they drove past, Jean Grant saw her again.

Ethan Ellsworth stopped the car, but Jean Grant grabbed him, refusing to let him get out.

Ethan Ellsworth shook her off and got out anyway.

Jean Grant immediately got out of the car after him.

"Chloe, we’re heading back."

Chloe Marshall stood up and nodded. "Okay."

On the entire drive back, she sat in the back seat, watching Jean Grant cling tightly to her boyfriend’s arm. She didn’t get a chance to say a single word to Ethan Ellsworth.

The car arrived at an upscale apartment complex.

「It was already noon.」

Chloe Marshall went home first. Ethan Ellsworth and the Grants stayed to talk with Jean Grant. After they counseled her for a while, she fell asleep.

Only then was Ethan Ellsworth able to slip away.

Afraid that something might happen to Jean Grant, Mrs. Grant decided to stay and keep an eye on her.

Ethan Ellsworth left Jean Grant’s apartment and parked his car in front of Quentin Grant’s place.

He then walked to the apartment across the hall.

After exiting the elevator, he hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell.

The door opened quickly. Without a word, Chloe Marshall threw her arms around him.

Ethan Ellsworth hugged her back, closed the door, and tipped her chin up with one hand. "Are you angry?"

Chloe Marshall shook her head. "I just feel that when a woman has a breakdown, she only lashes out at the people who care about her. She does it because she knows you could never bring yourself to abandon her."

"Jean has had a superiority complex since she was a child. She’s always believed that she’s the only one who gets to end things. Maybe she just can’t accept that I was the one who initiated the breakup."

Chloe Marshall stood on her tiptoes and kissed him softly. "Boss Ellsworth, love is selfish. It doesn’t tolerate a third person. I won’t give you up to her. As long as you love me, I will never be the one to let go of your hand."

Ethan Ellsworth wrapped his arms around her waist, replying, "That’s for the best."

He began peppering kisses across her forehead, her face, and her ears.

His unique scent was scorchingly close.

Chloe Marshall’s eyes grew hazy. As she lay there, gazing at him so close, she was overcome by an uncontrollable wave of emotion.

Though shy, she still said, "Boss Ellsworth, you are the man I love more than anything. I’m willing to bet my entire life on you. I’ll marry no one else."

If it had been any other girl, Ethan Ellsworth would have scoffed. ’"Marry no one else?" What century is this?’

But this girl... the one right in front of him.