?Chapter 154:


    Upon entering the bathroom, Ellie immediately turned away and pushed him out. Awakening to a newfound sense of independence, she was determined not to let Kaiden bathe her.


    Her main concern was ack of trust. She did not want to engage in any more intimate activities, especially in the bathroom.


    After her shower, Ellie noticed the bed sheets had been changed. The color was the same, but all traces from before were gone.


    Kaiden had showered in the adjacent bathroom and was now on the balcony, smoking in his bathrobe. Elliey in bed, feeling exhausted but unable to sleep.


    Kaiden didn’t return to the room until the scent of smoke had faded. Noticing Ellie ying on her phone, he asked, “Are you not feeling well?”


    Startled, Ellie looked at him warily. Kaiden, observing her reaction, couldn’t help butugh, finding her demeanor quite endearing.


    “I’ll be asleep soon,” Ellie replied, her voice hoarser than before.


    Kaiden frowned. Casually ncing around, he noticed the words “find awyer” on Ellie’s phone screen.


    “You’re looking for awyer?” he asked.


    Ellie nodded in confirmation.


    “Call Bruce tomorrow. He’ll assist you in finding awyer,” Kaiden suggested, taking the phone from her hands and cing it on the bedside table. His tone wasmanding as he asked, “Do you n to sleep or not?”


    If she didn’t sleep, he would do something else with her. It was better than ying on her phone in the middle of the night.


    Ellie quickly pulled the quilt over herself, leaving only her wary eyes visible. Kaiden covered her eyes with his hand, hiding the intensity in his own gaze from her. She probably wasn’t aware that when she looked at him with such sincerity, her eyes sparkled with innocence—often stirring deep desires within him.


    “I’m going to confront Essence. Are you sure you want to help me?” Ellie asked in her raspy voice.


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    Earlier, she had managed to remove the trending topic and trace the origin of the news. Essence hadn’t concealed her involvement, making the investigation straightforward.


    “What’s the deal with Essence?” Kaiden responded.


    Why wouldn’t he help Ellie? To her, their rtionship as husband and wife—and her status as his woman—should have been reason enough for him to support her against Essence.


    “She paid someone to spread rumors about me and Mr. Stephens today. I spent hundreds of thousands of dors to suppress the trending topic. She owes me that,” Ellie exined, assuming Kaiden was questioning her motives for targeting Essence.


    Kaiden was almost amused by her words.


    “Come on, that’s not much money,” he remarked with a smile.


    Ellie was quite vindictive.


    “Hundreds of thousands of dors is not money? It’s not about the money. What matters is making her regret her actions, especially when I’m already upset,” Ellie dered. Her intent was clear—she used her financial resources as a means to vent her displeasure on Essence.


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