Devilish secretary - Chapter 264

Chapter 264: Chapter 264 Divorce
Inside the black car, the soft sound of the engine filled the comfortable silence.

Gray was driving calmly, his cold handsome face focused on the road ahead. Lilith sat in the passenger seat, crossing her legs elegantly, her black dress falling perfectly around her boots.

In the back seat, Ethan leaned against the window tiredly, dragging his fingers through his messy hair.

Tara sat quietly beside him, her wide eyes stealing glances around the luxurious car, the shining dashboard, the expensive leather seats…everything felt too big, too clean, too unreal.

After a few minutes of peaceful driving, Gray finally broke the silence, his deep voice low and direct:

“So,” he asked without looking away from the road,

“what exactly happened out there?”

Ethan lifted his head slightly, eyeing Gray suspiciously.

“Bro,” Ethan said, narrowing his eyes at him through the rearview mirror, “why are you acting different today? Huh?”

Gray’s lips twitched slightly…maybe amusement, maybe irritationbut he said nothing, focusing fully on the road.

Ethan slouched back, mumbling under his breath,

“Creepy robot energy must be contagious.”

Tara, sitting silently beside Ethan, turned her head slightly and looked at Gray properly for the first time.

He was ridiculously handsome. Sharp jawline, smooth hair falling slightly over his forehead, black gloved hands steady on the wheel.

There was a quiet danger about him like a blade hidden inside velvet.

And the woman sitting beside him…Tara glanced at Lilith carefully.

Beautiful.

Dark, graceful, cold like a goddess from another world.

Tara shifted slightly in her seat, feeling very small and very ordinary compared to them. Her plain red tribal dress and dusty feet felt too loud in the clean, expensive car.

She lowered her head quickly, pretending to focus on the window.

Just then a small whirring noise came from her side.

Tara blinked and looked down..Sir Sparkleton, sitting proudly in a special mini seatbelt beside her,

was staring at her intently, blinking his small red lights.

Stare.

Blink.

Stare.

Tara leaned away instinctively, pressing herself slightly closer toward Ethan.

“Okay… you’re creepy,” she mumbled under her breath, maintaining as much distance as she could.

Seeing her scoot away,

Sir Sparkleton’s little robot body straightened proudly.

His system beeped happily inside.

“New target locked:

Mission — Protect Miss Lilith.

Keep suspicious tiny human away.”

Sir Sparkleton turned his tiny laser-sensor eyes toward Tara, blinking like a little watchdog ready to bite.

Tara side-eyed him carefully, clutching her dress.

She didn’t know what was more terrifying…the cold man driving the car, the beautiful woman who hadn’t smiled once or the tiny robot now silently judging her existence.

Meanwhile, Ethan, watching all this from the side, chuckled under his breath and leaned closer to Tara.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered teasingly, “He’s just mad you’re prettier than him.”

Tara bit back a nervous laugh, her cheeks turning pink.

***

In the quiet countryside mansion, the golden afternoon sun spilled gently across the wooden floors.

Grandpa Arthur sat on the elegant living room sofa, his cane resting against his knee,

his sharp eyes fixed on Ethan with a mix of shock and amusement.

“So you’re married… there,” Arthur said slowly, trying to process everything.

Ethan nodded, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

“Yeah… kinda…”

Arthur leaned back, steepling his fingers thoughtfully.

“And what do you plan to do now?” he asked, his voice calm but firm.

Ethan shuffled on his feet, throwing a quick glance toward Tara, who was standing stiffly a few feet away, her hands twisting the edge of her dress.

“Umm… divorce, I guess,” Ethan said, laughing awkwardly. “We were both… you know, forced to marry. Right, Tara?”

He looked at her, hoping she’d agree and make it less awkward.

But tara’s wide eyes stared back at him, full of quiet shock.

Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.

Divorce?

Just like that?

She had believed deep inside that maybe, just maybe, he would give this marriage a real chance.

That maybe he wanted her to stay beside him.

That maybe the fate she believed in meant something to him too.

But now—

Divorce?

Tara felt her chest hollow out quietly, the light inside her dimming.

She lowered her eyes quickly, hiding the sudden sting in them.

Ethan, noticing how quiet she became, shifted uncomfortably.

He ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more.

“I brought you here because I didn’t want you to be forced to marry some… old guy again,” he said awkwardly. “That’s all. You deserve better. Freedom, you know.”

The room went silent.

Lilith, sitting gracefully on the other sofa, frowned slightly.

Her sharp eyes slid from Tara’s lowered head to Ethan’s uncomfortable face.

Gray, leaning against the wall near the window, didn’t react outwardly but the cold glance he sent Ethan’s way said plenty.

Ava and Nova, sitting side by side nearby, looked shocked.

Ava nudged Nova and whispered sharply, “Idiot! Why would he say that in front of her like that?!”

Nova nodded rapidly, frowning. Even he knew Ethan had messed up badly.

Ava, trying to fix the situation a little, quickly stood up and went to Tara, her voice cheerful but soft.

“Come on, Tara! You must be so tired. Let’s get you a hot bath, alright?”

She linked her arm through Tara’s gently.

“I’ll find you some clothes too. You’ll feel so much better.”

Tara blinked up at her, startled, but nodded weakly. She let Ava guide her toward the grand staircase without looking back at Ethan.

Nova quickly jumped up to help too, offering an encouraging smile.

Together, they led Tara upstairs, leaving a heavy silence in the living room.

Arthur turned his head toward Lilith, studying her calm, beautiful face.

“What do you think?” he asked slowly, his tone serious.

Lilith, who had been quiet until now, slowly tilted her head. Her long black hair slid smoothly over her shoulder like silk falling off glass.

She looked at Ethan, expression unreadable.

But the small frown between her brows gave her thoughts away…subtle, but there.

She didn’t speak immediately.

Because truthfully—

she didn’t understand the full story But what she did understand, she didn’t like.

If Ethan had no intention of keeping the girl beside him why bring her all the way here?

Lilith had seen it.

The way Tara looked at him.

Bright-eyed. Full of hope.

He had pulled her out of a broken world, lifted her sky-high with safety and comfort, only to drop her right back down with one careless word: divorce.

Lilith crossed one leg over the other slowly, voice calm when she finally replied.

“I think…” she said softly,

“you should ask him what he wants. And more importantly what he’s afraid of.”

Her words hung in the room like smoke..not judgmental, not accusing but sharp enough to sting.

Arthur stared at her for a long moment, then nodded slightly.

Ethan sat frozen on the sofa, staring at the floor.

He didn’t speak because maybe…

Lilith was right.