Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption-Chapter 173: Life isn’t fair...

"Do you know he’s adopted?" Bella asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

Jessica blinked at her in surprise, clearly caught off guard.

She had to admit—when it came to Ethan, she hadn’t done much digging. With all her other subordinates, she always asked questions, getting to know their backgrounds and where they came from.

But with Ethan, she’d kept a bit of distance. After all, he was Davis’s personal assistant. Asking too much might look like she was crossing a line, and she didn’t want to come across as an overbearing boss.

Still, during the one year she’d been around him, she treated him with respect. In fact, Davis had only been able to manage things during his early recovery because Ethan was there.

Ethan had looked for medical help, arranged therapy, and even contacted psychological counselors to help Davis through the worst days.

He had always come across as loyal and trustworthy. Jessica had never once suspected anything unusual about him.

"Did he tell you about himself?" she asked after regaining her composure. Her eyes remained fixed on Bella.

Bella wasn’t just a friend or sister-in-law—she was family. If she was asking questions about Ethan, it likely meant she cared. And if Jessica wasn’t mistaken, she was even worried about his background.

Bella had lost her family in the past, and she still carried that trauma.

"He told me a little," Bella said quietly. "But only about his adoptive parents. He doesn’t seem to know anything about his biological parents. He couldn’t explain anything about his past."

Jessica let out a soft sigh. She got up and walked over to Matilda’s bed, checking her vitals. Once she was sure everything was stable, she returned to her seat.

"Bella, can I ask you something honestly?" Jessica’s eyes locked on Bella’s face. "Are you in love with him?"

Bella choked on her own spit and quickly looked away, avoiding Jessica’s gaze.

That was all the answer Jessica needed. Bella’s concern made sense now. She wasn’t just being curious—she was emotionally involved.

Jessica leaned back slightly. "Seems like we’ve got some work to do."

She continued, her tone gentle. "Bella, life isn’t fair. Opportunities aren’t equal. Ethan didn’t choose the life he was born into. The best thing you can do is accept him for who he is now—not where he came from."

As painful as it is not to know your origins, having a place to call home is still something. And just like Davis was able to reconnect with his long-lost sister, maybe life might offer Ethan a similar path one day.

Bella stayed silent, but her face still held worry. Jessica noticed and came to a decision.

"Ethan’s situation must be worse than I imagined."

Then she asked, "Is there anything else I should know?" Her brow lifted in question.

Bella hesitated but eventually nodded. "His adoptive family doesn’t treat him well. They only see him as a source of income. He’s constantly insulted and abused... like he doesn’t even matter."

Jessica froze. She had always seen Ethan as calm and well put together. Never would she have guessed he was going through such pain.

But then again, she had never asked.

"Does Davis know about this? And how did you find out?" she asked.

Bella lowered her eyes. "I saw a bit of it... but he doesn’t know I did."

She started explaining:

It had happened one weekend. Ethan had been asked to keep a low profile during a sensitive assignment, and Bella had been sent to check on things. She decided to visit him.

When she got there, she noticed something strange. He was restless, pacing back and forth in the living room.

"Ethan Warners, can you sit down already? You’re making me dizzy," she finally said, watching him move like a storm in human form.

He stopped and quickly came to her side, concern written all over his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice shaky. There was a look of fear in his eyes that she couldn’t quite understand.

"I’m fine. But what about you? Why are you so anxious? Did something happen? Is it about my sister, Jessica?"

Bella expected him to say it was work-related, but his answer hit her like a bucket of cold water.

"My adoptive parents want me to come home," he said, staring blankly into the distance.

His tone was flat, emotionless.

"That’s not a big deal," Bella said casually. "If it’s that urgent, I can come with you. No biggie."

Ethan turned to her, stunned. He realized she hadn’t grasped what he meant.

"It’s not the kind of thing you tell people," he muttered.

Still, he didn’t push back when Bella insisted on going with him.

They drove together to his adoptive family’s house in the suburbs. The ride was calm, filled with random chatter that helped ease Ethan’s tension—at least on the surface.

But as they neared the house, Ethan grew quiet. When they finally parked, he didn’t get out immediately.

Bella noticed something strange flicker in his eyes.

"Are you worried?" she asked gently.

He nodded, then said something that unsettled her.

"Can you wait in the car? No matter what happens, don’t come inside. You mustn’t get hurt."

Bella was confused. Why would going into your own home cause harm?

Still, she nodded. But the moment Ethan walked into the house, she couldn’t help but follow. She paused just outside the door.

"

"

"

~In The Warner’s Sitting room~

Mrs. Warner folded her arms across her chest and glared at him as he stepped in.

"So, you finally remembered the way home?" she snapped.

Ethan didn’t respond. His lips pressed tightly together, his jaw clenched. He didn’t want to argue with them today. Bella must not know.

Mr. Warner banged the arm of the couch with his walking stick.

"You stand there like a statue! Where’s the money from last month? Didn’t we ask you for some last week?"

"I... I am out of work for sometime now due to issues" Ethan replied quietly.

"Out of work? Are you kidding me?" Mrs. Warner scoffed. "And you are looking this good?"

Ethan lowered his head. "I am staying with a friend."

"A friend? You call him and tell him your family needs money" she snapped, her voice rising. "Linda needs new books, and Sunny’s tuition is due! What are they supposed to do, huh?"

"I’ve been trying," Ethan said, trying to stay calm. "I send money whenever I can."

"Trying?" Mr. Warner growled. He struggled to rise from his seat and pointed his stick at Ethan. "Trying doesn’t pay bills, boy! You live in a fine place, wear fine suits, drive big cars, and here we are, waiting like beggars! Are we not your family?"

"You adopted me," Ethan replied, his voice low but steady. "You did it for the government support. Don’t pretend I meant more than that."

SLAP!

Mrs. Warner hit him across the face before he could even blink. Bella, standing just outside, flinched at the sound.

"You ungrateful brat!" she shouted. "How dare you say that to us?"

Ethan stumbled slightly but didn’t raise a hand or respond. Blood gathered on the edge of his lip, but he wiped it away silently.

"You think we adopted you because we loved you?" Mr. Warner barked. "We could have picked any other child! But we took you in, and you pay us back like this?"

"You took me because the program gave you money," Ethan replied quietly. "And you never let me forget it. You never treated me like your own."

Mrs. Warner’s eyes narrowed. "And yet, here you are. Talking back like a man. You’ve grown, haven’t you?"

"I’m not here to argue," Ethan said, his eyes now cold. "I just came to check in and bring what I could."

"Where is it?" she demanded.

Ethan reached into his coat and took out an envelope, placing it on the table. "It’s all I could get right now."

Mrs. Warner snatched the envelope and opened it. She counted the bills inside and hissed.

"This is it? This isn’t even enough for half of Sunny’s tuition!"

"I’ll send more when I can," Ethan said, his tone flat.

"You better!" Mr. Warner growled. "And if you ever think of turning your back on us—"

"I never turned my back," Ethan said, cutting in. His voice held a quiet strength. "But I won’t be your punching bag forever."

Mrs. Warner gave him a sharp look. "You threatening us now?"

"No," Ethan said, taking a slow breath. "I’m just tired."

Silence followed. Then Mr. Warner chuckled darkly.

"You think your fancy job makes you better than us?"

Ethan didn’t answer. He turned toward the door. "I’ll check in again when I can."

~Outside~

Bella returned to the car, her fist clenched tightly as she waited outside the car. She couldn’t pretend not to have heard or seen the situation.

Now, it made sense why was anxious. Why he didn’t feel like coming.

As he stepped outside, his hand trembled. There was a red handprint on his cheek. His shirt was torn—buttons missing.

His shoulders slumped like he’d been dragged through a storm. He looked... broken.

His eyes met Bella’s briefly, but he didn’t say a word. Bella stared at him in shock, anger burning in her chest.

"Why did they do that to you?" she asked, her voice trembling.