Ethan buried his face in the pillow, not daring to move an inch.
Lila let out a cold chuckle, turned around, grabbed a small bag from the bedside, and strode out.
He didn’t relax until he heard the door click shut and used his X-Ray Vision to check—yep, she was really gone this time.
He finally let out a long sigh.
“Seriously? I ended up with a killer for a wife? Who writes this script for my life?”
Grumbling to himself, a wave of sleepiness hit him again, and he was out like a light.
It wasn’t until three hours later that he finally woke up.
One glance at the clock showed it was already eight.
He scrambled out of bed to wash up.
Logically, after what he’d gone through last night—pure torture—he should be totally wiped.
But weirdly enough, he felt fresh and full of energy, like he could run a marathon.
“Huh, so the X-Ray Vision really juices me up. Gotta make sure I put it to good use,” he muttered, heading toward the bathroom in the corner.
The moment he walked in, he froze.
All the clothes he’d dumped from yesterday?
Not only had someone washed them, but they were neatly hung to dry on the balcony.
He was sure he hadn’t touched a thing.
He frowned.
Could it be Lila?
He spotted a small note stuck to his pants.
Picking it up, he read:
“Wife has OCD. Clothes and room must be clean. All the time.”
Ethan grinned.
“Man, having a wife really has its perks. Now if she could just bathe me too…”
Yeah, she may be a stone-cold assassin, but she had her soft spots too.
If he could find a way to bring out more of that warmth, maybe help her let go of some of her killer instinct, he’d feel like he’d done something good with his life.
With that thought, he felt even more pumped.
Time to get ready.
By half-past eight, Ethan was clean and dressed, heading out of Northwood Springs.
He grabbed a quick breakfast at a food stall, then hopped on a motorcycle taxi straight to Starhaven Orphanage.
What Lila told him last night kept echoing in his mind.
Apparently, some thugs had been bothering Martha Brooks—the orphanage director—and now they wanted the land it sat on.
He had to check in with her, find out exactly what was going on.
After all, this was where he grew up.
No way was he letting anyone mess with his home.
Starhaven Orphanage was an old place on the banks of Sunset River, west of the city.
It had stood for over fifty years.
What used to be the outskirts was now considered city center, thanks to Cloudshore’s rapid expansion.
The area was now part of the economic development zone, and the land’s value had shot through the roof.
Compared to those, the old orphanage buildings looked shabby and outdated.
No wonder someone had their eye on it, looking to redevelop.This piece of land, covering over ten acres, had to be worth at least fifty million.
And yet, some people, pulling a few strings, could forcefully acquire it for just a few million.
Thinking about that made Ethan uneasy.
Back in the day, he was just an ordinary college student, with no choice but to keep his head down.
But now, with his X-ray vision and superpowers—not to mention a badass assassin wife—there was no reason to stay silent anymore.
At ten o’clock sharp, Ethan arrived at the Starhaven Orphanage.
The place still looked like a school, and the sound of kids playing brought him an unexpected warmth.
Honestly, he hadn’t been back much since his junior year.
Not because he didn’t want to—he’d just been too caught up in the stress of job hunting.
The orphanage had three courtyards: Health Yard for the kids with disabilities, Hope Yard for the others, and Care Yard for the staff.
He headed straight for the Care Yard and walked into a two-story office building.
It was old but tidy.
The principal’s office was positioned at the center of the second floor.
When he got to the door, he spotted a woman sitting on the couch, casually reading the Education Daily.
Who else could it be besides Martha Brooks?
Her black braid hung neatly behind her, and she wore a long, black dress that made her look elegant and graceful.
Her fair face was lit with a gentle smile that was both warm and welcoming.
Her big, clear eyes gleamed with purity and innocence.
And every rise and fall of her chest as she breathed gave off a quietly captivating charm.
In the soft light from the window, she gave off a radiant glow—a kind of gentle maturity, a sweet strength, and a maternal warmth that made you want to lean into her.
The moment Ethan saw her, he felt a wave of nostalgia.
Smiling brightly, he knocked lightly.
“Sis Brooks.”
Martha looked up, her eyes lighting up.
“Ethan!” she said with a warm grin, waving him over.
“You actually remembered to visit your big sis?”
He chuckled at the term ‘little guy.’ No matter how grown-up he got, she still saw him as the same kid from years ago—even though she wasn’t even twenty-seven yet.
Fine, little guy it is.
He walked over, sat beside her, and hugged her naturally, resting his head against her chest.
Instantly, a sweet, mature fragrance filled his senses.
He almost wanted to melt into her.
“You little rascal,” Martha said, catching the hint of mischief in his smile, while gently pushing him away.
“You used to just hug, now you’ve got tricks up your sleeve?”
Ethan flashed an innocent smile.
If I had, I would’ve snuck in all the kisses I could.”
“Oh, stop it,” she laughed and playfully tugged his nose.
“Alright, be honest. What brings you here all of a sudden?”
Ethan’s tone turned serious.
“Sis, I heard some thugs have been bothering you. Is that true?”Martha Brooks let out a soft sigh.
“It’s about the orphanage again. Someone’s got their eyes on this place. They want it, and I refused.”
Just bringing it up made her brows furrow, worry written all over her face.
As a woman looking after a bunch of kids, how could she possibly stand up to a bunch of thugs?
If someone hadn’t stepped in yesterday, she might’ve really gotten hurt.
“Martha, I figured you’d be worried, so I came right away,” Ethan said.
“We’ll get through this together. We’ll find a way to deal with those punks.”
Martha forced a smile.
“Ethan, you’re still in college. I don’t want this mess interfering with your studies.”
Just then, a young man with a middle-part haircut appeared at the door and gave it a gentle knock.
“Director Brooks, someone’s asking for you outside.”
“Alright, Mr. Davis.” Martha nodded at Kevin Davis, then turned to Ethan.
“Take a break, I’ll be right back.”
Ethan had noticed something off about that guy.
Leaning in, he asked softly, “Is that guy new here?”
Martha nodded.
“Yeah, he was assigned by the Department of Education and Sports.
Has a criminal record…
not exactly the best guy, but what can we do?”
“I get it.” Ethan stood up and walked her to the door, his thoughts tightening: What’s a creep like that doing in an orphanage?
As soon as she left, Ethan moved to the window, keeping an eye on Kevin Davis as he took off toward the back garden.
Ethan quietly shifted to the rear window to get a better view.
The backyard was a lush green space, nearly half an acre, with flowers and bamboo scattered throughout.
Kevin walked to the northwest corner, grinning at a girl in red.
“Claire, right on time!” he said.
Claire grinned dimly.
“Mr.
Davis told me to come here, so I did.”
“You’re getting prettier every day,” he said, eyes openly wandering over her figure.
Even though she was only fourteen, the girl had shot up to about 5’3″, already showing signs of early development.
Mentally challenged or not, from appearance alone, she looked like any ordinary pretty teen girl.
“Hehe, Martha says that too,” Claire giggled shyly.
Kevin edged closer, gulped audibly, then slung an arm around her shoulders.
“Claire, I’m a doctor, let me give you a quick check-up, alright?
You always listen so well.”
“Okay,” she nodded obediently.
“Lift up your shirt, let’s start with your upper body,” Kevin said, helping her pull up the red tee.
The moment he saw the white undergarment underneath, his eyes lit up.
“This undershirt is really cute.”
“Hehe, Martha gave it to me,” Claire chuckled.
“Do you like it?”
“Love it, love it. Now undo it and let me take a proper look,” Kevin said, hands already moving to unfasten it, his eyes glued to her waist as drool dripped onto her back.