There was no time to delay saving Ethan from the clutches of the legal system. Liam was quick to act. First, he decided to keep a close eye on the girl who accused Ethan of raping her to uncover the mastermind behind it.
During the surveillance and investigation, Liam learned that the girl's family owed money to the mafia. It seemed likely that she had collaborated with Ethan's enemy to orchestrate this scheme to harm him. If the case is successful, the girl will have some money to pay off the debt.
After three days of following the girl, Liam speculates that the girl may be very worried and frustrated that she still hasn't received the amount she should have received after completing the task.
Trusting his sharp instincts, Liam devised a highly feasible plan. He decisively put it into action. When he saw the girl sitting alone in a café, seemingly waiting for someone, Liam approached her with an attractive enticement.
"Hello, I wish you a good day," Liam greeted politely.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Mila eyed Liam warily.
"Are you Mila Cox?"
"Yes, so what?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Liam Grey." Liam smiled politely. "I represent Ethan Thomas. Could you spare some time to talk with me?"
"Ethan who?" Mila feigned surprise and acted as if she didn't know Ethan.
"The man you accused of raping you," Liam reminded her straightforwardly, a faint smile on his lips.
"I'm busy, and I don't want to be disturbed. If you have any issues, talk to my lawyer," Mila immediately declined, not wanting to get involved further in the case. She became cautious when she heard the name Ethan because someone had warned her that someone from Ethan's side might approach her. It was best to stay away to ensure her own safety.
"Just ten minutes, please," Liam pleaded in a low voice. "Please."
"I'm sorry, but I have to leave." Mila firmly refused, getting up from her seat and quickly leaving the restaurant.
As Liam had predicted, he followed Mila with a smirk and went straight to the point.
"I will help you pay off all your debts to the mafia," Liam declared resolutely, causing Mila to stop in her tracks. "You need a lot of money, don't you?"
Mila was a bit puzzled by the offer. Seeing that, Liam said again:
"In addition, you will receive a substantial amount of money and many other benefits." To convince her further, Liam provided compelling evidence: "Ethan Thomas is a successful and wealthy businessman. He is the heir to a large family fortune, and he has plenty of money. He is willing to pay you handsomely."
"Besides that." Liam suddenly emphasized, "Ethan Thomas also has the ability to punish those who dare to harm him. His method of revenge is quite cruel."
Facing the temptation of money and Ethan's impressive background, it is hard for anyone to resist. Of course, Liam's threats also made Mila tremble. When involved in this case, Mila knew nothing about Ethan. She simply needed the money, so she agreed to participate. After the incident happened and Ethan's identity and status were revealed, it made Mila extremely surprised.
"You should think very carefully. Your decision is extremely important for the future of not only you but also your family." Liam added that he knew for sure that the other party could not control his emotions. As expected, after a moment of silence, Mila turned around and asked:
"What does Ethan Thomas want from me?"
"Let's sit down and talk. Your coffee is still warm," Liam requested, and Mila obediently complied.
…
After the conversation with Mila and reaching certain agreements, Liam went to meet Ethan to discuss the new direction of the matter.
Once again, Ethan sat across from Liam in a private room, separated by a table.
"For three days, you disappeared, and there was absolutely no news about you," Ethan reminded. "I hoped your reappearance would bring some good news."
"Congratulations; your hope came true," Liam replied cheerfully.
"Really?" Ethan's gloomy face suddenly lit up, and he eagerly asked, "How's the situation?"
"I've talked to Mila Cox."
"Who is that?" Ethan interrupted impatiently.
"The victim. I mean the person you raped."
"Watch your words carefully; I didn't assault her," Ethan retorted angrily.
"Calm down." Liam requested, and Ethan grumbled, "It was you who started first."
"Sorry." Liam said it flatly.
"In summary, what did you say to her?" Ethan inquired, "And what does she want?"
"I asked her to withdraw the lawsuit."
"What's the result?"
"She agreed."
"Indeed, everything is resolved with money," Ethan concluded bitterly. "So when will I get out of here?"
"Until I finish working with the police and the judge," Liam replied.
"Hurry up then," Ethan urged. "I'm really fed up with this place."
"Ethan," Liam hesitated no longer and decided to share his proposal with Ethan: "To get out of here, I require you to cooperate with my plan."
"Why do you look so serious? What plan are you talking about?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, observing the worried expression on his friend's face. Suddenly, Liam's behavior frightened him.
With an extremely calm tone, Liam made a shockingly bold statement: "I want you to marry Mila."
Ethan was taking a sip of water and immediately spat it out all over Liam's face. Liam's words had taken him by surprise. There was silence as Liam gently wiped his face with a handkerchief, and Ethan tried to suppress his coughing fit from choking on the water.
"What did you just say, Liam? That's not a funny joke at all," Ethan asked, as soon as he had recovered from his coughing fit.
"I'm serious." Liam maintained a stern demeanor that made Ethan doubt him.
"Are you insane?"
"No."
"If you're not crazy, how can you say such nonsense? If you want to anger me, then congratulations on your success." Ethan exclaimed excitedly.
"Calm down and listen to me," Liam demanded in a raised voice. Seeing Ethan fall silent, Liam sighed and continued, "It's the best solution to put an end to this."
"Isn't she already accepting the money and agreeing to withdraw the lawsuit?" Ethan asked anxiously, "Then why do I have to..."
"It's not as simple as you think it is." Liam calmly interrupted: "The fact that Mila agreed to cooperate could be another trap the enemy wants you to fall into."
"I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"It's very possible that you'll be accused of additional charges like bribery, tampering with official documents, obstructing justice, etc. when you use money to bribe Mila into changing her statement," Liam explained.
"How could that be?" Ethan asked, bewildered.
"The enemy knows you have money and will use it to handle this situation. So, everything happening now is according to their plan."
Although he didn't want to believe it, after thinking about it, Ethan had to admit that Liam was absolutely right.
"So, what makes you think I should marry the person who put me in this precarious situation?" Ethan suddenly revealed his curiosity.
"That's what we have to do for you to get out of here," Liam asserted. "Listen carefully, Ethan. Right now, you're in a difficult situation. Everything seems to be against you. However, instead of accepting it, why don't we change the nature of the case so that your sentence will be lighter?"
"Explain your plan in more detail to me," Ethan demanded earnestly.
"We can drop the rape charge against you if you can prove to the judge that you and Mila were in a romantic relationship and you're willing to take responsibility for her."
"How can we do that?" Ethan was skeptical. "Would that girl cooperate with us?"
"Mila has agreed to withdraw the lawsuit and change her statement from coercion to voluntary." Liam revealed, leaving Ethan astonished once again.
"How did that happen?"
"Money," Liam replied decisively, causing Ethan's expression to shift to anger.
"You're confusing me, Liam. Didn't you say that using money would get me charged with bribery and a series of other crimes, and now?"
"They are completely different scenarios. If it's just money, the risk of you falling into another trap is very high, and no matter what you say, it won't convince the jury to trust you. However, if we have money and add a marriage, I believe everything will work out smoothly."
"Are you saying that?" Ethan seemed to grasp some wisdom and secretly admire Liam's genius mind.
"That's right. This is mutually beneficial cooperation," Liam emphasized. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Ethan?"
"I understand," Ethan admitted. He wasn't foolish enough to miss the intentions and purposes behind Liam's actions.
"But Liam, is there really no other solution than the idea you just said? Why don't you find evidence to clear me up?" Ethan asked exasperatedly, "I don't like the idea of marriage at all. I have to marry my slanderer. Oh, that's ridiculous."
"If we do as you say, it will take a lot of time, and there's no guarantee of a good outcome because, as I mentioned, the evidence against you is very convincing," Liam explained wearily. "Moreover, it's your fault when you don't take precautions, so please accept my arrangement."
Ethan could not argue with the lawyer's argument and reluctantly agreed to obey.
"Liam, are you sure this plan will succeed?" Ethan wanted to confirm for reassurance.
"It depends on many factors, including luck," Liam replied hesitantly. "So, you should pray to the heavens a lot."
Ethan nodded and sighed with worry. Once he got out of this ordeal, he vowed to live a virtuous and disciplined life, refraining from indulgence.
Everything went according to plan afterward. Liam successfully convinced the judge to believe in his direction. After two weeks of being detained in the police station's temporary cell, Ethan was finally released when Mila changed her testimony and withdrew the lawsuit as per the mutual agreement between her and Liam. That's great for Ethan, but it's something his enemies hate and despise. Although pronounced innocent, everything wasn't entirely back to normal for both Ethan and Mila. Both of them were fined a significant amount for disturbing the peace with the law. Additionally, Ethan had to be under the supervision of Toronto city authorities for six months, meaning he couldn't return to the US or travel anywhere else during that period. Though somewhat disgruntled, Ethan accepted it, knowing that being free was already a positive outcome.Today, three days after Ethan's release, the fake marriage agreement between Ethan and Mila is supposed to take place. The ceremony is simple, d
"I don't want to," Ula firmly replied, immediately receiving a hostile look from her mother."Ula..." her mother scolded. "Listen to me.""Why do I have to marry someone I know nothing about?" Ula asked angrily. "This is Mila's wedding. Why don't we postpone it and go look for her? If Mila is taken away, isn't Mila's life in danger?""This..." Unable to answer Ula's question, her mother looked at Liam as if expecting him to explain."The wedding cannot be postponed. It must proceed today, no matter what," Liam asserted in a loud voice. "Besides, we can't let anyone know about Mila's disappearance. If you want to find Mila, you have to wait until this wedding is over.""Why?" Ula stared at Liam, demanding a plausible explanation: "Is Mila's disappearance more important than the wedding?"The reason Ula asked that was because she did not know about the deal between Mila and Ethan. According to Ula, finding Mila is more important; even though she doesn't like Mila, she doesn't want Mila
Ethan's tension was finally relieved as the wedding ceremony and the celebratory reception unfolded smoothly, and it was time to wrap up.Throughout the reception, Ethan and Ula continuously moved from table to table, receiving congratulations and expressing their gratitude to the guests in attendance. It's worth noting that neither Ethan nor Ula knew most of the guests. This wedding was merely a play directed by Liam and scripted with the purpose of deceiving the judge. Therefore, it held no significance for Ethan and Ula. Despite meeting for the first time, their acting was remarkably professional. Their seamless coordination, rhythmic movements, and intimate gestures towards each other successfully convinced onlookers that everything was genuine, and any doubts about a staged marriage were not given a chance to arise.Now, at the exit of a simple, unassuming restaurant, Ethan was engaged in a conversation with a special and honorary guest at his fake wedding—the judge of the city o
It didn't take Liam long to find Ethan near the entrance to the men's restroom. Ethan just walked out of there. "Ethan, there you are. Let's have a talk," Liam immediately suggested. "Liam, I also wanted to talk to you," Ethan impatiently revealed. "Did you..." "Let's go somewhere more private to talk. Liam interrupted with a proposal and led the way for Ethan to follow. When they both stopped in a secluded area outside the restaurant, Ethan immediately voiced his frustration to Liam. "Where have you been? I didn't see you at the party until now. Did you know I had to deal with all the chaos at the party myself? Ethan complained. "I had some things to take care of," Liam calmly explained. "Why didn't you say anything to me? Ethan continued to blame "I can see that you're busy, so I don't want to bother you. Ethan, remember, this is your wedding, not mine. You have to take charge of your own big day." "Don't say those ridiculous and insensitive things," Ethan angrily retorted,
After ceasing her tears, ending her complaints, and ceasing to blame the heavens for her unfortunate fate, Ula believed that tonight she could endure and overcome the first challenge in this marriage. However, everything was not determined by Ula and seemed to go against what Ula had hoped for. With Ula's determination and hope, everything collapsed with a sudden rainstorm. Rain poured down from the sky, and in an instant, the scenery around Ula looked cold and bleak. Since the doorstep had no shelter, the heavy rain mercilessly drenched Ula, making her both cold and wet. Ula thought about knocking on the door and begging Ethan to let her in, but her pride wouldn't allow her to humble herself too much in front of Ethan. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that Ethan would hear Ula's plea, or if he did, he might choose to ignore her. From the beginning, Ethan had intended to leave Ula outside the house in the middle of the night. Ula also considered other options, like leaving or seek
In the evening, Lisa had to return to her own home to take care of her husband and child. At this time, Ethan was in his room reading a book when Lisa came and knocked on the door. "Mr. Thomas, it's Lisa. I have something to tell you." "Please come in," Ethan said, his eyes still fixed on the book in his hand. With permission granted, Lisa entered the room. "What's the matter?" Ethan asked calmly, but in his heart, he was somewhat concerned about Ula. "How is that girl doing?" "She still hasn't regained consciousness," Lisa explained with worry. "Her fever hasn't subsided despite the medication I gave her. I think we should take her to the hospital." Hearing Lisa's words, Ethan clicked his tongue in annoyance. Ula's condition was so bad that she needed to be hospitalized. If Liam found out about this, Ethan was sure to be scolded for ignoring Liam's warning. Plus, if it came to the judge's attention, Ethan was certain he would face a big problem. Seeing that Ethan remained sile
"I won't allow you to leave here," Ethan asserted firmly."It's quite puzzling." Ula sternly expressed her curiosity. "From the beginning, it was you who didn't allow me to enter this house. Now you won't let me leave. What do you want, exactly?"In response to Ula's rightful curiosity, Ethan remained silent for a moment and then said, "In short, you must stay here, and you're not allowed to go anywhere.""You have no right to command or restrain me," Ula affirmed, asserting her democratic rights. "You certainly have no right to detain me. Who do you think you are? Don't behave so arrogantly and grivoisly. It's disgusting."Ignoring Ula's defiant attitude and without providing a clear, reasonable explanation to persuade her, Ethan resorted to threats."Listen carefully; if you dare to disobey my orders, you and your family will undoubtedly suffer dire consequences. Be wise and obedient." Ethan's tone sounded chilling, and his demeanor, especially his gaze when looking at Ula, was trul
Starting that day, Ula became the housemaid for Ethan. Every day, she had to wake up early and complete many tasks assigned by Ethan. Ula had to endure physical exhaustion and fatigue to fulfill all the chores as per Ethan's orders. Ethan always found ways to make Ula work and didn't allow her to rest.However, despite Ethan's attempts to torment and exploit Ula's labor for his own satisfaction, the results he received didn't satisfy him. Ula proved to be someone who was not easily subdued or willing to humble herself and beg.With her quick wit, finesse, and cleverness, Ula always completed her tasks excellently and efficiently. Ethan had assumed that Mila (Ula) was a frivolous, extravagant girl who enjoyed a life of luxury and didn't know how to do anything. Yet, the quality of Ula's work consistently surprised Ethan.Today marked the seventh day that Ula had been living with Ethan, and the seventh day she had to wake up early, working tirelessly day and night according to Ethan's d