My Mother Killed Me For Her Stepdaughter novel Chapter 32

Ethan was taken to the hospital.

As soon as he woke up, he tore out his IV line, frantically trying to find me.

Sophia Lane arrived after hearing about his condition, intending to care for him.

But Ethan's eyes were fixated on the empty imprint of a ring on his finger.

"My ring… Where is my ring?" he muttered, as if only now realizing it was gone.

Sophia seemed startled by his behavior and instinctively stepped back, accidentally knocking over her bag.

From it, Ethan's ring rolled out.

I watched as Ethan scrambled to grab the ring, clutching it tightly to his chest.

Sophia stammered an explanation,

"Mr. Carter, last time you accidentally dropped it… I've been keeping it safe for you…"

But Ethan didn't seem to hear her words.

He stared at the ring, and something seemed to click.

Ignoring the hospital staff's protests, he rushed out again, driven by an unrelenting determination.

Three days later, I saw Ethan return to his office.

He was still wearing the same garbage-stained clothes, barging in like a madman.

Ethan's office was rarely disturbed, and the ring he had once tossed in the trash was still there, lying alone.

Ethan, who once had a compulsion for cleanliness, now didn't care at all.

I've gotten used to everything about you being in our home.

I got used to coming home, no matter how late, to find a steaming bowl of noodles waiting for me…"

"I don't want to part from you at all.

When you disappeared, I kept hoping you were just being willful, that you'd come back to argue with me again…

That you'd force me to stay by your side forever."

Ethan pressed the ring to his lips, softly touching it as if it were my cheek.

"Claire, I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone.

From the moment I didn't even know what love was, I already loved you."