Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Upon hearing this, Seraphina Redgrave’s eyes widened in shock, and she turned to look at Ethan Sterling.

Ethan Sterling stood at the door, casually buttoning his suit jacket, his expression utterly natural, and showed no fear upon meeting Seraphina Redgrave’s gaze.

He looked at Seraphina Redgrave, a mocking smile on his face: "Leave? Did I agree to that?"

Seraphina Redgrave’s heart skipped a beat as she watched the well-trained bodyguards walk past her. Only then did she realize Ethan Sterling had no intention of letting her leave.

The gate to the villa’s courtyard was tightly shut from the outside, and from inside, one could still see the bodyguards standing outside.

Seraphina Redgrave gritted her teeth and looked at Ethan Sterling: "Tell me, what do I have to do for you to let me leave." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelꜰire.net

"Them, tie them up and take them away." Ethan Sterling’s eyes glanced over at Nathan Ayers, casually pointing at Nanny Lynch and Granny Coleman.

"Young Master Sterling?"

The two maids didn’t understand why Ethan Sterling wanted to capture them. They turned their heads only to be pressed down by the rushing bodyguards and couldn’t help but cry out in pain.

Seraphina Redgrave’s expression instantly turned sour, wanting to go over to Nanny Lynch and Granny Coleman.

Seeing this change, Nathan Ayers immediately pulled out a gun from his waist, loaded it, and pointed it at Nanny Lynch’s temple.

Seraphina Redgrave reached out, intending to deftly seize the gun, but her wrist was grabbed.

Ethan Sterling stood in front of Seraphina Redgrave, his gaze cold and unyielding: "Seraphina, you must understand, the fact that you’re still alive is not due to my lack of ability, but because I don’t wish to see you dead. If you continue to resist me with such meaningless actions, I’ll lock you up."

Ethan Sterling suddenly changed the way he addressed Seraphina Redgrave.

The two words were uttered with seductive tenderness, yet carried a hint of bloodlust.

Seraphina Redgrave’s expression was indifferent.

She had miscalculated.

How could Ethan Sterling be such a reasonable person? The treatment for her internal injuries was merely a ploy to lower her guard.

She let out a cold laugh and slowly spoke: "Young Master Sterling, we’re not in a forbidden zone; I might still escape."

"Alright." Ethan Sterling seemed to be in a good mood, "If Seraphina leaves now, the roses in the garden will bloom even more vibrantly, do you know why?"

Ethan Sterling paused for a moment: "Roses nourished with human blood are the most vivid."

This place couldn’t confine Seraphina Redgrave, but what about the two maids completely lacking self-defense skills?

The two maids were still unclear about what was happening, trembling in place.

"Them, if they die, then so be it."

Seraphina Redgrave showed no expression.

"Really?" Ethan Sterling gently curled his lips, "But I’ve long noticed, you wouldn’t."

He vividly remembered what Seraphina Redgrave did when he initially tried to deal with Nanny Lynch and Granny Coleman.

Seraphina Redgrave ground her teeth; how could she have known Ethan Sterling was observing her even then?

"What? Want to curse at me?" Ethan Sterling tilted his head, looking at Seraphina Redgrave, laughing brazenly, "Curse all you want, I admit it."

Seraphina Redgrave couldn’t say a word.

Ethan Sterling stepped back two paces, looked at Seraphina Redgrave, and instructed: "From today onwards, she shall not be allowed out of the courtyard."

Seraphina Redgrave stood motionless, watching as Nanny Lynch and Granny Coleman were forced into the villa.

The villa was surrounded layer upon layer, even a fly couldn’t get out.

"Miss, if you want to eat something, just let me know, I’ll have the kitchen prepare it for you."

"I want to eat Nanny Lynch’s cooking."

Seraphina Redgrave’s expression remained unchanged.

"Those two maids did not take good care of you, allowed you to fall into the hands of bad people, and have been imprisoned. They can’t cook, can’t even eat."

What kind of punishment is this?

Seraphina Redgrave’s expression was displeased, she looked at Nathan Ayers, but saw him bow slightly, avoiding her gaze.

What was happening now? Ethan Sterling brought her back, only to confine her in Hibiscus Garden?

He did all the bad things and good things.

No, she has to get out; she has her own things to do and can’t just be trapped here.

The serene Hibiscus Garden was surrounded completely.

The roses bloomed brightly, not caring whether they had freedom, stretching their branches and leaves within the small garden.

Seraphina Redgrave carried the strangely brewed coffee she made into the study, repeatedly cautioning herself not to get angry before entering Ethan Sterling’s study.

Outside, it was a sunny day, but the study was covered tightly with curtains, not a sliver of light visible.

Ethan Sterling sat in the chair behind the desk, reading documents.

He had already showered, wore a white bathrobe, his sharp short hair wet from water droplets, which slid over his striking eyebrows, across his cheeks, then down his chin, finally disappearing into his chest.

Occasionally he glanced up and saw Seraphina Redgrave, he smiled briefly, then returned his gaze to the computer: "Not planning to leave?"

Seraphina Redgrave swallowed all her curses, handed over the coffee cup, and placed it in front of the computer: "Made it for you."

Ethan Sterling glanced at the cup offered by Seraphina Redgrave, a dark liquid, with visible solid residue inside, emanating an unpleasant aura.

It looked like a cup of poison.

"Seraphina." Ethan Sterling spoke, lifting the cup and shaking it, raising his eyes to meet Seraphina Redgrave’s gaze, "If you want to poison me, just say so, no need for such disguises."

Seraphina Redgrave took a deep breath in frustration, then clenched her teeth, striving to maintain calm: "Young Master Sterling, why exactly can’t I leave?"

Upon hearing this, Ethan Sterling leaned back, finally taking his eyes completely off the computer screen, he looked up at Seraphina Redgrave with a serene expression.

Seraphina Redgrave felt somewhat guilty.

Ethan Sterling finally spoke deliberately: "Really don’t understand? That time at the snack street, you were in the trunk, you should have heard clearly, right?"

Referring to the first time she was discovered.

Seraphina Redgrave clenched her teeth.

"You lied to me saying you had mental issues, I didn’t expose you; you pursued whatever you wanted, I didn’t expose you; you participated in the Star Burning Cup, I still didn’t expose you." Ethan Sterling looked at Seraphina Redgrave, "Guess why I kept silent all those times?"

"You drank at the stadium, I brought you back; you were kidnapped, I saved you; you were hurt, I healed your injuries."

Ethan Sterling placed the coffee cup back on the tray with a crisp sound, he stared intently at Seraphina Redgrave: "I’ve done so much for you, yet you want to leave just like that, wouldn’t that leave me at a loss?"

Enjoyed all that freely, but want to leave when you please? That’s too naive.

Ethan Sterling had already laid out everything bare for her, and Seraphina Redgrave knew she couldn’t feign ignorance any further, so she spoke: "What does Young Master Sterling want me to do?"

Ethan Sterling chuckled.

"Stay? Fall in love with you?" That’s the most she could do now.

The smile disappeared from Ethan Sterling’s face: "You might try doing one less."

Otherwise, not being able to leave would be the least of her worries.

Seraphina Redgrave was speechless for a long time, before her eyes took on a resolute look and she spoke with seriousness: "Young Master Sterling, I have no feelings for you, you wouldn’t want to force a woman who doesn’t love you to stay by your side, would you?"