To Be Yours Again

The rain was pouring as Rachel An stood in front of her home, unable to step inside.

"Rachel, you caused a scene at the wedding this morning, raising your fathers blood pressure, and now you come to ask for money. What do you think we are?" The woman inside the house, Rachels stepmother, shouted at her with a face full of disgust.

Rachel looked at the woman who used to be her college classmate and was now her stepmother, Michelle Zhao. It was hard for anyone to remain calm under such circumstances, especially considering that her mothers hospitalization was a result of Michelles intrusion into their family.

"Everything in the An family is the result of my mothers hard work. Why shouldnt my father pay for her treatment?" Rachel tried to push the door open to confront her father, but two bodyguards rushed over and dragged her away.

Michelle looked at her with a hint of cold mockery.

"Let me go!" Rachel struggled.

The bodyguards, wary that she was the An familys eldest daughter, did not dare to be too rough. They released her by the roadside, where the rain drenched her, making her look like a drowned rat. Her face was wet, and it was impossible to distinguish between tears and rainwater.

Rachel had never known they could be so shameless.

Her mother was still in the hospital in urgent need of medical expenses, yet her father had married his mistress!

Seeing the mocking smile on Michelles face, Rachel could no longer contain her anger and lunged forward.

"Michelle, Im not done with you!" she yelled.

But the security guard standing nearby immediately pushed Rachel back, preventing her from moving forward.

This push caused Rachel to lose her balance and fall backward!

She thought she was about to have an intimate encounter with the wet ground, but instead, she found herself colliding with a warm chest.

Rachels panicked expression steadied as she looked up to see a familiar face—Ethan Xu.

He was wearing a black shirt, holding a large black umbrella in one hand, and carrying a pet carrier in the other.

Ethan glanced at Rachel, waited for her to steady herself, then walked towards the villas door and placed the pet carrier outside.

"Ethan..." Michelles face changed, looking as if she wanted to say something but held back.

"Your things, back to their original owner," Ethan said, his tone as cool and detached as ever.

With that, he turned and left without waiting for Michelles response.

Rachel watched the change in Michelles expression and, recalling the recent news of Ethans breakup, suddenly understood something.

The ex-girlfriend of the crush she had harbored for years had become her stepmother!

She was still in shock when Ethans deep voice came from beside her: "Arent we leaving?"

Rachel was taken aback and realized that he was waiting for her to leave together.

Feeling the hot, resentful gaze from behind, Rachel had an idea. She intimately reached up and linked her arm with the man beside her and pecked him on the cheek.

"Lets go."

"Rachel, how can you be so shameless!" Michelles voice came through.

Seeing that the two people still didnt look back, Michelle couldnt stand it and ran out without even taking an umbrella.

"Ethan, wait..." her voice was filled with grievance.

Ethans pace didnt change, but Rachel pulled him to a stop.

Rachel turned around with a bright smile: "Stepmother, as a woman of my father, calling my man like that seems inappropriate."

Michelles face turned white with anger, and she was speechless, only able to look at Ethan with resentment.

But the man completely ignored her, only chivalrously opening the car door and gently indicating for Rachel to get in.

Michelle was so angry she could have bitten through her teeth, but she didnt dare to vent too much.

After all, this was the An residence, and if others found out, it would be hard for her to explain to Rachels father.

In the car.

Rachel wiped the rain from her face with a tissue, not daring to look at the man driving.

She had just made that intimate gesture to provoke Michelle without his consent; would he hold it against her?

Ethan seemed to see through Rachels thoughts. He raised his slender fingers and tapped the steering wheel over and over, his voice full of meaning.

"Your man?"