Of course, Adrian didn't expect Ethan to be kind to him. After all, in his eyes, "Liam Hayes" was nothing but a joke, someone who repeatedly embarrassed himself. Yet, he was still cautious, afraid of making Ethan Forrest utterly disgusted with him.
Ethan Forrest may never loved men. But Adrian vowed that he would make this man bend for him once.
Thanks to the memories of this body, Adrian knew what will happen to the owner of this body from the moment he'd walk out the restaurant with butler Ray till 2019 when he and Ethan would meet again but with him transitioned already to a woman.
But he didn't know what would happen next from now on to Ethan. Ethan had his own struggles, battling between his identity as Ethan Forrest, the heir of the Forrest family and the his pretend identity as Ethan Forrest the chef.
But as long as he could keep Ethan by his side, it was enough.
"What? Thinking about suicide again, Liam Hayes?" Ethan sat, legs crossed, his gaze icy. He watched Adrian's expression change from serious to calm, to a hint of a smile, and finally to cunning.
He said he couldn't love men, but it was a lie. There was a bond between them that even Liam Hayes had forgotten.
Ethan's eyes dropped to Adrian's slender left hand. On his pinkie ring finger was a simple silver ring, identical to the one on his own right index finger. How could the foolish Liam not have thought about why they wore the same ring?
Just then, the sound of butler Ray's footsteps came from outside.
A wild idea flashed through Adrian's mind. To keep Ethan from leaving, he suddenly grabbed the plate of leftover spaghetti and meatballs and dumped it over his head! The sauce slid down his hair, and red oil seeped into his collar.
"Young master... what are you doing...?" Butler Ray was so shocked that he almost dropped the coat he was holding.
"Liam Hayes, what are you doing?" Ethan stood up abruptly, snatching the plate away. "Is this how you repay my hospitality?"
He frowned, turning to head to the kitchen. But his ankle was suddenly restrained. Looking down, he saw Liam Hayes kneeling on the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around his legs.
"Is Ethan angry? Don't be angry... don't go... please leave Liam..." Adrian looked up, his eyes misty, his voice choked with sobs. As he spoke, he let saliva drip from the corner of his mouth.
Ethan was stunned. What kind of act was this?!
When he saw the drool slide down Liam's chin, his brows furrowed in disgust. How foolish. Too foolish! Liam knew he had a severe cleanliness issue, yet he dared to play like this?!
Just as he was about to push the boy away, Butler Ray rushed over, his face frantic. "Mr. Ethan! Please don't mind him, the young master... he's having another episode! Please, you mustn't let others know—I will handle it!"
Ethan looked down, a cold smile on his lips. "Having an episode?" His tone was so light it was almost emotionless. But in his blue eyes, a hint of danger flickered.
Adrian's "grand plan" was to act dumb. This tactic would not only force Ethan to bring Ray, the butler, to take him away, but also make Ethan stay with him.
For Liam Hayes, this was the best way to maintain happiness; for Adrian, it was the quickest way to get out of the Hayes family's trouble as well as keep Ethan by his side.
It turned out that the original owner of this body had used this trick before. To keep his father by his side and prevent him from favoring those his children from the outside, he would act crazy and foolish; he even forced the family doctor, Dr. Donald, to lie, saying that "if the young master's demands weren't met, he would go mad".
Ridiculous yet clever.
Back then, Liam Hayes wasted this trump card on seeking his father's love. Now, Adrian planned to use it against Ethan.
However, Ethan isn't someone who can be easily fooled. Figuring out what Liam Hayes was thinking wasn't rocket science!
"Another episode?" Ethan looked up coldly, not even bothering to glance at Adrian. "Mr. Ray, take him away. It's almost midnight and I need to sleep because I have to open the shop very early tomorrow in the morning."
Ray, the butler, looked troubled and replied in a low voice, "But, sir, the young master is currently not in his right mind and has been clinging to you. If you don't return with us, it may arouse suspicion and affect the young master's inheritance rights."
Ethan: "…"
Butler Ray's words were subtle, but the meaning was crystal clear. That as long as Ethan agreed to return to the Hayes mansion with them, the young master's mental illness could continue to be hidden from those who didn't know yet. That is, Ethan can make the young master keep shut and keep him under control.
Adrian lowered his head, a hint of a smile creeping onto his lips. Perfect.
Ethan's brows furrowed slightly, seemingly deep in thought. He was definitely going to refuse.
So, Ray quickly pulled out a neatly folded document from his pocket. "Here's the doctor's diagnosis report, please take a look."
Ethan took it, and his expression turned cold the moment his eyes fell on it. It was Liam Hayes' mental health assessment report.
"You're really something, Liam Hayes," Ethan murmured through gritted teeth, his anger almost burning through his fingertips.
Liam Hayes would go as far as fabricating a medical report to get what he wants? Hmmph! Ethan hated himself for being too soft, for spoiling this kid, Liam Hayes, too much. Loving him, pampering him, it was all a mistake.
He looked up and glared fiercely at Ray, who could only lower his head innocently. 'It's the doctor's report not mine, Mr. Ethan!'
"Meat, meat…. I want meat." Just then, Adrian suddenly crouched on the ground, holding a half-eaten meatball in his hand, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Ethan.
He had calculated it perfectly—cute plus crazy equals unbeatable! There was no way Ethan wouldn't conform!
Ethan looked at the meatball, which was clearly picked up from the ground, and felt a pang in his chest. This little scamp... how dare he challenge his cleanliness and play with his OCD like that?!
"Mr. Ray!" Ethan finally couldn't take it anymore, "What are you still standing there for? I have to open the shop tomorrow morning! Without this shop, how do I feed?!"
Adrian almost burst out laughing. Good, now even Ethan is starting to make things up. Wasn't he the son of the third generation mogul?!
Ethan continued to stubbornly spout nonsense, just to avoid Adrian, "My grandfather is bedridden, my father is a compulsive gambler, and our family is dirt poor. We are also in dept! You'd better take your young master back, poverty is contagious."
Butler Ray was completely speechless.
Just then, Adrian let out a deafening wail. "Hubby, hubby, don't abandon little hubby! Little hubby is very obedient! Little hubby will share his meat with you…. waaaahhh!"
As he cried, he wrapped his arms around Ethan's waist, tears and snot covering his face and staining Ethan's apron.
Just look how Ethan's counter was backfiring!
Ethan was completely dumbfounded. Hubby? Little hubby? What kind of ridiculous…..?
Wait… did he know something? Maybe about the "ring" or that night ?! Ethan couldn't help but be puzzled.
He was about to push the other person away, but to his shock, the seemingly delicate young man who was a mere teenager was unbelievably strong. He couldn't move him at all.
And so, he was held tightly in place.
The air was thick with a familiar scent of intimacy, heat, and danger.
Ethan's hand froze midair as his reason seem to be slowly unraveling.
Inside, Adrian smiled triumphantly. 'Round one, victory!'
The damn butler Ray, only stood there nodding. He looked at the scene before him, not only did he not help, but instead looked like he was used to it.
It was as if he had seen this kind of farce many times before. He was sighing inwardly, 'The young master's illness... is getting worse. Now he's calling a man four years older than him 'husband', and he's just a poor chef, alas, pitiful.'
Ethan's temple vein was throbbing.
He took a deep breath, his sanity teetering on the edge of madness.
"Liam Hayes….." He was about to speak, but the person in his arms suddenly looked up.
The small face, still wet with tears, suddenly turned serious, even with an eerie determination.
"You don't want me?" Adrian's voice was choked, low and husky, but with a hint of stubbornness.
"Then…" He took a deep breath, his hands gripping Ethan's lapels tightly. "Give me your child, and we'll be done with each other and I'll let you go, hubby."
The air froze for three seconds.
Ethan: "..."
Ray: "???"