Chapter 4

Joanna POV

At noon, Ethan took me to the restaurant we frequented most.

Ethan ordered several dishes I liked and carefully instructed the waiter about how well-done the steak should be and what foods I couldn't eat.

I had no appetite and didn't eat much.

Seeing I wasn't happy, Ethan gently coaxed me to eat a few more bites.

We had only eaten halfway when the private room door was gently pushed open. A server wearing a mask walked in carrying a steak.

The server kept her head lowered, her cap pulled very low, but I recognized her at a glance.

It was Sophia.

Ethan obviously recognized her too. His expression immediately darkened.

He put down his utensils and immediately scolded, "We don't need you here. Get out."

Sophia stopped in her tracks. Her eyes instantly reddened.

She responded and turned to leave.

Before leaving, she couldn't help but steal a glance in Ethan's direction. Her aggrieved appearance looked quite pitiful.

I quietly watched all this, my heart feeling like it was being cut over and over by something.

Less than two minutes later, Ethan couldn't sit still. He put down his knife and fork. "Joanna, I'm going to the restroom."

I acknowledged, watching his figure disappear around the corner.

I knew he was going to find Sophia.

So Sophia wasn't just someone in his bed. She had also been arranged into his company as his secretary.

So Sophia's position in Ethan's heart had long surpassed being just a mistress in bed.

I fiercely pushed the tears back into my heart.

Ethan was gone for nearly ten minutes before returning, his face showing satisfaction, the corners of his mouth faintly curved upward.

After sitting down, Ethan remained absent-minded. He kept lowering his head to use his phone, a smile hanging at the corner of his mouth.

Watching his expression, the familiar nausea attacked me again.

I didn't want to lose composure in front of him, so I made an excuse, saying I needed to go out and return Elena's call.

Ethan was still busy fiddling with his phone. Without looking up, he just waved his hand. "Go ahead, Joanna."

I walked into the restroom. As soon as I pushed the door open, I heard a low buzzing sound from the adjacent stall, mixed with a woman's uncontrollable moaning.

I immediately froze in place. A wave of nausea surged up.

I hid in the adjacent stall and turned on my phone's recording function.

Soon, a man's voice came from the phone on speaker in the next stall. It was a voice message from Ethan.

The restroom was very quiet. I could hear everything he said clearly.

"Did you come?" Ethan's voice was low and husky.

The woman in the stall didn't dare make much sound. After a long while, she trembled and said "mm."

"Let me hear you. Don't hold it in. I want to hear."

The buzzing sound suddenly grew louder. The woman's panting became more rapid, broken moans escaping through her teeth.

"Don't stop. Understand? You can only stop when I tell you to."

"Ethan, I can't anymore..." Sophia's voice was already crying. "Please, turn it off..."

"Don't take it out. Who told you to make your own decisions?"

"You know the consequences of not being able to hold it."

It continued in the stall.

I staggered out of the restroom and leaned against the hallway wall, my whole body weak.

So while eating just now, Ethan had been remotely controlling this.

While he was talking to me gently, he was playing with another woman under the table.

This was his true face.

The man I had married for four years, the man who was so proper in front of me that he had to ask before even kissing me, was actually like this behind my back.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, suppressed all emotions, and returned to the private room.

"Elena wants to meet me this afternoon." I said quickly. "You don't need to drive me later."

Ethan didn't insist. He breathed a sigh of relief and gently instructed me, "Okay, I'll have the driver take you."

"No need. I'll take a cab."

He didn't insist further, just nodded. "Be careful on the road. Message me when you arrive. Use my card if you want to buy anything."

I nodded and quickly turned to leave.

Walking out of the restaurant, the sunlight hurt my eyes.

I raised my hand to shield my eyes, hailed a cab, and went straight to the visa center.

I had to leave. Get as far away as possible.

For the rest of my life, I never wanted to see Ethan again.