IGNORED! HE ALWAYS SAVED HIS RIGHT EAR FOR HER Chapter 04

IGNORED! HE ALWAYS SAVED HIS RIGHT EAR FOR HER Chapter 04

The moment Ethan stepped inside, Madison rushed over and threw her arms around him.

Her voice was filled with hurt.

“Ethan, you’re finally here. I was so scared just now…”

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

Ethan gently stroked Madison’s hair, comforting her softly.

A loud crack of thunder exploded outside.

Heavy rain poured down, pounding against the windows.

The thunder was deafening.

But Ethan seemed distracted.

The rain was pouring.

What about Claire?

Was she soaked?

Did she bring an umbrella?

He had left too quickly.

He hadn’t even asked.

Suddenly, the arms around his waist tightened.

Madison’s voice came from beside him, carrying a hint of seduction.

“Ethan…”

“Can you stay with me tonight?”

Looking into her expectant eyes, Ethan’s heart raced.

His Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously.

Then a flash of lightning cut through the darkness.

The entire room lit up.

And in that brief moment, Ethan’s mind flashed back to Claire’s thin figure before she got out of the car.

A sharp pain shot through his chest.

He immediately pushed Madison away.

“No.”

“Claire is still outside.”

“I have to find her.”

Ignoring the storm, Ethan stepped on the gas and rushed back toward the place where he had left Claire.

But when he arrived…

There was no one there.

Claire was gone.

She must have already taken a taxi.

Ethan couldn’t tell whether he felt relieved or lost.

All he knew was that something heavy settled in his chest.

The sky was pitch black, and the storm was getting worse.

He shouldn’t have left Claire there by herself.

She was probably angry.

When she came back, he would apologize properly.

Ethan was about to turn the car around and head home when a tiny flash of light from the passenger seat

caught his attention.

He reached out and picked it up.

Holding it closer, he froze.

It was the diamond ring.

This morning, he had personally slipped it onto Claire’s ring finger.

How did it end up in the car?

A sudden wave of unease grabbed his heart.

Did Claire take it off herself?

No.

Impossible.

When he put the ring on her finger this morning, she had been so emotional that she cried.

She must have dropped it by accident.

That had to be it.

Ethan carefully placed the ring in his palm and took a picture.

Then he sent it to Claire.

[The ring was in the car. I put it away safely. I’ll put it back on your finger myself when you come home.]

The next second…

The message failed to send.

A red failed delivery mark appeared.

Ethan’s breathing stopped.

A sudden panic slowly took over him.

Even though he already knew Claire had probably boarded her flight and left…

He still stepped on the gas and drove straight to the airport.

He regretted it.

Why hadn’t he asked her just one more question?

Why hadn’t he asked where she was going?

Ethan walked around the airport terminal again and again.

But the familiar figure he was looking for never appeared.

Eventually, he returned home alone.

Everything inside looked exactly the same.

Almost as if nothing had changed.

Ethan walked into the bedroom.

The first thing he saw was the small starfish plush toy sitting by the bed.

It was the toy he had given Claire when she was twenty.

Claire loved it.

She always slept while holding it.

Whether she was traveling for work or returning to her hometown, she always brought it with her.

The more Ethan thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

He called Claire’s coworker.

He wanted to ask where she had gone on her business trip.

But the response on the other end shocked him.

“Claire?”

“She already resigned.”

Ethan suddenly collapsed into the chair.

His heart pounded wildly.

Claire was gone.

Without saying goodbye.

Was she really going to leave him?

The thought stabbed through his chest.

Regret surged through him.

It pressed down so heavily that he could barely breathe.

Then suddenly…

The doorbell rang.

“Claire!”

“Claire, you’re back…”

Ethan rushed toward the door.

But when he opened it…

His smile froze.