---- Chapter 20 No.20 The slap sobered Ethan up. He felt a surge of anger, which was quickly replaced by a sense of powerlessness. You're not sober, Ava said. "I don't want to talk to you. Please leave and don't disturb the neighbors." She closed the door in his face. Normally, she wouldn't have been so harsh, but she was fed up with his inexplicable behavior. She heard silence from outside and went back to bed. She knew they had to talk eventually, but not now. He had probably never been slapped before. Maybe he wouldn't come looking for her again She didn't dwell on it and went to sleep. Ethan's influence on her was gradually diminishing. After that night, Ethan did not appear in her life for a long time. He hadn't given up, but his company had a new strategic deployment that required his attention. He had seen Ava. There would be other opportunities. He decided to go back home and let her cool down. ---- It was good that she had lost her temper. Slapping him was better than ignoring him. He had raised her since she was a child. He didn't believe she could be so resolute. He had made his intentions clear. Given some time, she would come around. When they met again, he would take her home. Back home, he went straight to his office and then back to the mansion He looked at the painting he had pieced back together, his thoughts drifting. If she was just angry, would she have thrown everything away? A voice in his head tried to break through, but he forcefully suppressed it. She was just angry. But he still felt uneasy. He walked out of his room, frustrated, and had a few drinks. The next day at noon, Chloe called, complaining that he wasn't involved in the wedding planning and that she was being made a fool of. The company is busy, she said. "The responsibility shouldn't all be on me." Ethan held the phone away from his ear, his temples throbbing, and waited for her to finish venting. ---- We can announce that the engagement is off, he said in a low voice. | was wrong to drag you into this, he said, shifting the blame to himself. "Thank you for all your trouble during this time." & Chloe stopped talking abruptly. "Have you made up your mind? How is Ava?" Ethan was silent. Chloe hesitated. "I don't agree with what you're doing. If it were me, | would be utterly disappointed." Your original intention was for Ava's own good, she continued. "You wanted her to give up, and you were afraid of being blamed. But it seems more like you were trying to make yourself give up." 7 I've said my piece, she concluded. "| hope you won't regret it." As she spoke, Ethan's eyes darkened, becoming unreadable. He said nothing and hung up the phone.