The Don’s Fake Sister in Law Chapter 03

The Don’s Fake Sister in Law Chapter 03

The hospital descended into chaos.

Ethan was beaten unconscious, while Nathan sat sobbing beside him.

I watched from a corner for a while before finally, reluctantly, slipping away.

I spent the afternoon blowing money along Fifth Avenue and didn’t get home until dark.

When I stepped out of the elevator, Ethan was standing by my door like a vengeful ghost, two black-suited guards at his side.

He radiated resentment.

His face was a mess of bruises, none of his usual don-like composure left.

“Claire! Go explain yourself to Nathan!” he barked.

I unlocked the door and walked in, feigning innocence.

“Explain what?”

Ethan’s face twisted with disgust.

“You know exactly what!”

“Nathan thinks I stole his woman! He thinks I made him fake amnesia so you could ditch him clean! Now he’s running around every Campbell property with a knife, hunting me down!”

I hummed a little tune, completely ignoring his tantrum, and spread my shopping bags across the bed.

A ridiculous collection of barely-there clothes spilled out.

I held up a white lace nightgown—the flimsiest of the bunch—against myself.

“Think I’d look good in this?”

Ethan’s face turned sour.

He looked away, teeth gritted. “Only Nathan—blind as he is—could fall for someone like you. I’d rather stay single forever than end up with a venomous woman like you.”

Right on cue, a knock came at the door. “Claire? You home?”

Ethan went pale at the sound of Nathan’s voice.

“What the hell are my guards doing outside?”

He saw me heading for the door and lunged to stop me.

“Don’t open it!”

With Nathan already convinced there was something between us, catching Ethan here late at night would be a nightmare.

No way to explain it.

I rolled my eyes.

“He called me by name, so he knows I’m here. Not opening makes it look worse.”

I grabbed his hand and dragged him to the closet.

“You can hide in here.”

Ethan’s face was a mask of defeat. He knew he had no other choice.

He took a breath and stepped into the closet.

I went to answer the door.

Nathan stood tall in the hallway, head down, eyes ringed with red.

I reached out and touched his face.

“Why are you crying?”

The tears he’d been holding back finally spilled over, warm on my hand, his sobs pouring out like a broken dam.

He couldn’t complain about the amnesia bit—he’d agreed to it. Couldn’t complain about pretending not to know me this morning—he’d done that too.

Whatever misery came his way now, he’d have to swallow it.

“Ethan kicked me out of the estate,” he stammered. “I’ve got nowhere to go.”

Ethan, who’d been hunted across every Campbell compound all afternoon by his own brother, listened from the closet in silence.

Nathan grabbed my hand and pressed his face into my palm.

“Claire, can I crash here for one night? I’ll take the couch—promise I won’t be a bother.”

I nodded graciously. “Of course.”

From inside the closet, I could practically hear Ethan’s soul leave his body.

Nathan kicked off his shoes and stepped inside. His eyes immediately landed on the pile of skimpy lingerie on the bed.

His face twisted.

I followed his gaze, shy and flustered.

“Ethan bought those,” I murmured. “Said he wanted to celebrate tonight…”

I trailed off like I’d said too much, my expression turning bashful.

“He’s always buying these ridiculous things. Never listens when I tell him to stop.”

Ethan, trapped in the closet, said nothing—just stared at the ceiling in pure exhaustion, like he was debating whether the hanging rod was strong enough to do the job.

I gathered up the lingerie and tossed it into the closet.

The white lace nightgown landed softly on Ethan’s face.

When I opened the door, his expression was murderous.

Nathan spoke to me through the narrow gap.

“Will Ethan be coming over tonight?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you should call and ask?”

Ethan’s eyes went wide with terror.

Nathan nodded thoughtfully and pulled out his phone, dialing Ethan’s number.

The next second, Ethan’s ringtone blared from inside the closet.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed. He stepped toward the wardrobe.

“Claire… Ethan’s phone is ringing. Mind if I open the closet and take a look?”