Chapter 76

"I’m so sorry, sir," I stammered as soon as Christof spoke. He turned to Ethan, who stared at me with a reassuring smile.

"He's joking," Ethan whispered, and Christof burst into laughter.

"I see why she makes you want to change, she’s so innocent," Christof said, glancing back at me. I felt an unexpected sense of calm; like Ethan, Christof didn’t match his fearsome reputation. He looked more like a lovable old man than the ruthless figure I'd heard about.

"Make yourself comfortable, my dear. Take a seat," Christof said, gesturing to a reserved table near his own.

"Ethan, my boy, we’ll talk after the party," he added, and Ethan nodded before leading me to the table.

As soon as we sat down, I looked at Ethan in shock. "Is that really Gloria’s father?" I asked, still trying to process the scene.

Ethan smiled gently. "Not what you expected, is it?" he asked.

"Definitely not," I replied. After meeting Gloria’s father and seeing the genuine affection he had for Ethan, I felt a bit more at e