Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Faris was already pretty wasted. His face was all red, and it even spread down to his neck. His shirt was half unbuttoned, showing off his bare chest.

When I glanced over, he was already staring at me.

Two curvy women in low-cut tops and short skirts were all over him. Their bodies were pressed against Faris, their long, pale legs rubbing against his as they brought their glasses to his lips. "Come on, Faris, drink up!"

After a few seconds of eye contact, Faris smirked, giving a cool, drunken smile, and said, "Feed me."

The two women giggled. One took a sip of red wine, then leaned towards Faris with pursed lips.

I turned away and headed to the restroom.

Realizing Dakota hadn't followed, I looked back. She was still standing there, staring at Faris with longing. Her hands clenched and unclenched before she finally followed me.

After using the restroom, I passed Faris's booth without looking over and went back to my seat.

Frank had organized Nora's birthday party with a lot of romantic touches. I used to think Frank was boring in love, but he just hadn't met the right person.

Everyone except Jason drank quite a bit.

Halfway through, Dakota suddenly left. Everyone else was too busy to notice, but I did.

Curious, I followed her.

The two women were helping Faris, his head hanging low as he muttered drunkenly. "Drink, keep drinking."

The two women turned a corner with Faris, and Dakota quickened her pace to catch up.

I stopped at the corner and saw Dakota step in front of them, blocking their way.

"Don't do this. These women." Dakota's words were directed at Faris.

Though she didn't finish her sentence, the meaning was clear.

These women were not clean.

Her words naturally pissed off the two women.

"Who do you think you are? What's it to you?"

"Are you jealous?"

"Poor figure!"

"Get lost!" Faris suddenly shouted.

The two women looked smugly at Dakota.

"Did you hear that? Faris told you to get lost."

"I'm talking to you. Get lost!" Faris shook off the two women.

Without their support, he wobbled unsteadily. Dakota quickly caught him. The two women seemed reluctant, standing aside and calling out sweetly. "Faris!"

"Get lost! Are you deaf?" Faris roared.

Was he this angry because the two women had just insulted Dakota?

They didn't dare say anything more, glaring at Dakota before turning and swaying their hips as they left.

"You're drunk. I'll take you home," Dakota said, supporting Faris.

But Faris suddenly pinned Dakota against the wall.

One hand braced against the wall, the other gripping Dakota's chin.

"These women aren't good enough? Are you saying I should take you instead?"

Dakota looked up at him, her gaze calm. "If you need me, I don't mind."

Faris seemed stunned. The next second, he lowered his head and kissed Dakota passionately.

The kiss was wild. He gripped her chin tightly, giving her no chance to move.

Dakota frowned slightly, seemingly unable to handle his aggressive approach, but her closed eyes spoke of surrender.

The kiss was intense. His hand moved from the wall to her shoulder, pulling down her top to reveal smooth skin.

Faris's hand slid down her back through the opened neckline while his other hand gripped her waist. Dakota's arms wrapped around his neck, transitioning from passive acceptance to active response.

Faris kicked open a nearby private room door, and they entered, still kissing. The door slammed shut behind them.

Coming back to my senses, I returned to my seat.

Jason had already left, and the others were sprawled on the sofas, having drunk quite a bit. Their postures were more relaxed, and their words more uninhibited.

Ethan was leaning on the sofa, smoking. He had drunk some, but not much.

I sat next to him, wrapping my arm around his, leaning on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Let's go."

Ethan put down his crossed leg, stubbed out his cigarette, and put an arm around me, agreeing.

We said goodbye to Frank and Nora and left.

Ethan had drunk, so he called for a designated driver.

On the way, my stomach growled. In the quiet, narrow car, he heard it clearly.

Ethan glanced at me. "Are you hungry?"

I nodded, embarrassed but honest.

He smiled and patted my hair."I'll whip up something for you when we get home."

When we got back, the nanny and kids were already asleep.

Ethan rolled up his sleeves, opened the fridge, and started making some pasta. I watched him cook, totally mesmerized.

Feeling touched, I hugged him from behind, feeling his strength through his shirt. He stiffened slightly. I heard the pasta drop into the pot and stir.

Then, he turned around, pressed me against the wall, and kissed me hard. The sound of boiling water faded as our lips met, and my mind went blank. I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back just as deeply. Ethan kissed me with such intensity, sending shivers down my spine.

Suddenly, the kitchen door swung open with a clatter. I got nervous and tried to pull away. But Ethan held the back of my head, kissing me even deeper. The door closed again with a clatter.

"Sorry. I just came down to get some water to mix formula."

The nanny's apologetic voice came from outside the door.

We kept kissing, not even bothering to respond.

By the time the passionate and lingering kiss finally ended, the pot of pasta had already turned into mush.

We looked at the pot of mush, glanced at each other, and couldn't help but laugh.

Ethan took a carton of milk from the fridge, handed it to me, and gently pushed me out of the kitchen.

"You go wait in the living room. I'll make a new batch; it won't take long."

He cleared his throat and added, somewhat awkwardly.

"Drink your milk, and don't distract me. I can't concentrate with you around."

I sipped from the straw, smiling at him. He kissed my forehead and went back to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, the pasta was ready. We ate and smiled at each other like fools. Happiness probably looked like this.

After eating, he washed the dishes. I sat on the sofa, waiting for him, but fell asleep.

Half-asleep, I felt him pick me up. Knowing it was him, I kept sleeping. He laid me on the bed, climbed in behind me, and hugged me, his warm breath in my ear. "Honey, are you too tired? Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

I snuggled into his embrace, wrapped my arm around him, and softly murmured in agreement.

That night, I seemed to sleep particularly well. But I still vaguely felt him tossing and turning beside me, unable to sleep soundly.

When I opened my eyes in the morning, I saw him propped up on one elbow, staring at me intently.

"Awake?" His voice was hoarse with fatigue, and his face looked weary.

"Why are you up so early? Didn't sleep well?"

His eyes darkened dangerously. "You kept me up all night. But I saw you were too tired to wake you. Now that you're well-rested, I need compensation." With that, he rolled over and pressed down on me.

Morning sex was nothing new for us, but it always felt fresh each time.

That day started off feeling invigorating.

However, just as we were holding each other, reluctant to part, we suddenly felt the bed shaking.

The cup on the small side table moved and fell to the floor.

"Earthquake!"

Ethan and I realized simultaneously.

We quickly got out of bed, and the strong tremors subsided.

We hurriedly got dressed. Hope and Luna also came out with the kids and essential items.

"This house should be fine, but it's better to go outside for now," Ethan said.

We walked out of the villa to join the crowd. Despite aftershocks, the villa was unaffected.

News spread online that the epicenter was in the countryside. Worried about Benjamin, I asked Ethan to drive us there.

Upon arrival, we learned the local school had collapsed. The narrow, muddy mountain roads forced us to walk. A villager gave me sneakers to replace my high heels.

The village chief pointed to the rubble that was once the school. Rescue workers were already there. Two hours later, Richard arrived and began digging.

Many children had died. Benjamin was found shielding two surviving children. Tears filled my eyes at the sight of his dust-covered, lifeless body. Richard called out, "Dad!"

Richard held Benjamin's body, crying like a child. At that moment, he wasn't a reckless young man; he was just a child who had lost his father. Despite the years of separation, Richard had deep feelings for Benjamin, who had truly loved and cared for him.

Among Benjamin's belongings, I found a thick diary. Brushing off the dust, I casually flipped through it and unexpectedly saw my name.