Chapter 57

Ethan's POV

I stamped my feet in frustration, feeling like a child again, trapped in a web of family expectations and obligations.

"Why does it always have to be like this?!" I muttered to myself, frustration boiling over. I was getting fed up with all this. I felt like I was living in a never-ending drama, with my mom pulling the strings and me dancing to her tune. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down, but my anger and resentment lingered, refusing to be extinguished

I knew I had no choice but to go along with my mom's plan. I had to find a way to ask Emily to pretend to be my wife, even though we had only attended a dinner together once before, and she had been there as my assistant. I was worried that asking her to play along with this charade would be awkward, but I had no other options.

As I walked into the hotel apartment, I couldn't ignore the rumbling protests from my stomach. I had been so caught up in the evening's events that I had forgotten to eat dinner! I he