Faux Vows, True Desires
Chapter 81

When Ethan arrived, the scene before his eyes made him pissed off.

He strode over and kicked the maid who was pulling Janice's hair. She fell to the ground with a thud.

"Mr. Ethan!" Everyone gasped.

But Ethan didn't stop there. He continued to kick the maid until she cried out in pain and begged for mercy. He stopped only when others intervened.

"No matter what she does, this is her home. She can do as she pleases," Ethan coldly warned everyone. "I don't care who you have backing you up, if you disrespect my mother again, I'll make sure you pay. Now, get out!"

Everyone quickly helped the maid Ethan had kicked and left.

"Mom," Ethan steadied his mother.

"Baby, darling, they've taken our baby. The baby is crying. We have to go save her quickly. She's going to be very uneasy without me," Janice pleaded anxiously, grabbing Ethan's arm.

Ethan felt helpless as his mother mistook him for his father. There was no way to correct her.

Once upon a time, his parents' love for each other was something to be admired.

But now...

Their once harmonious family was shattered when his irresponsible father's the other woman took revenge by stealing his twin sister, causing his mother to have a mental breakdown. His mother didn't even recognize him, her own son, anymore.

"Mom, I'll help you back to your room," Ethan said, swallowing his pain as he helped his mother to her room.

Janice resisted, but when she saw the group of people approaching, she instinctively shrank back behind Ethan, her eyes filled with fear.

The man leading the group, wearing a robe, was the current head of the Blue family, Nathan Blue. Behind him were Colton Blue and Grace Blue, who were also awakened by the noise, and Madeleine Porter, the daughter of the Porter family, who had spent the night at the Blue family's house.

"Ethan, what's wrong with your mother? Why is she causing such a commotion?"

Grace complained, sounding annoyed. "How many times have I said to send your mother to the villa in the suburbs for some rest? The environment is so good there, so quiet, perfect for her to recover. But you and your father just won't listen. You insist on keeping her at home. She has these episodes every now and then, always in the middle of the night, and it disturbs everyone's rest."

"If it weren't for those who know better, they'd think there was something supernatural going on in our house."

Grace once adored her mentally ill daughter-in-law, especially when she gave birth to a pair of twins. But ever since her beloved granddaughter went missing, Grace's affection for Janice turned into resentment.

She blamed Janice for not taking proper care of the children, giving others the opportunity to strike. She also blamed Janice for being too possessive, not allowing Nathan to associate with other women.

As the head of the Blue family, there were many social activities to attend, and rumors were inevitable. She always told Janice that men sometimes needed to socialize for work, and urged her not to take these things too seriously.

But Janice didn't listen.

Her son was also very indulgent with his wife.

His mistress, unable to get his love, turned her love into hate and took away Grace's beautiful and adorable granddaughter in revenge. It's been over twenty years, and they still didn't know whether her granddaughter was alive or dead.

The Blue family was powerful, but after twenty years, they still couldn't replace the missing Lucinda Blue.

Janice, having lost her beloved daughter and constantly blamed by her mother-in-law, gradually lost her mind. This made Grace's affection for her disappear.

Now, all Grace felt towards her was disgust.

"Grandma, I'm taking mom back to her room."

Ethan didn't respond to his grandmother's reprimand.

He knew that his grandmother's heart had been won over by Madeleine. His cousin was also favored by his grandmother, which only increased her disgust for his mother.

If it weren't for his father's firm stand on his side, insisting on keeping his mother in the Blue family, his mother would have been sent to the villa in the suburbs long ago. Although the villa in the suburbs was not a bad place, it was too far from the city. With his mother's unstable mental state, he wouldn't know if she was in danger if he wasn't by her side. Madeleine was waiting for his mother to pass away, so she could become his father's new wife.

Even though his mother couldn't even recognize her own son anymore, she was still the wife of the head of the Blue family, and his father's only wife.

The Porter family's power was catching up to the Blue family's. As the daughter of the Porter family, Madeleine couldn't be just Nathan's mistress. Now, the person who most wanted Janice to die was Madeleine.

Janice clung to Ethan's arm and walked behind him.

When she passed by Nathan, she stopped and looked at him carefully. "Honey, this man looks a lot like you," she said to her son.

Nathan was speechless.

He silently reached out to smooth his wife's hair.

But Janice immediately hid behind Ethan, avoiding his outstretched hands. "Who are you, what do you want? I have a husband and children, you're not allowed to touch my hair!" Nathan withdrew his hand and silently watched his wife.

Janice, frightened, clung to Ethan's arm. "Honey, let's go. He's looking at me in a scary way."

Everyone was looking at her in a scary way, especially the woman in black. Janice was most afraid of the woman in black.

Every time her husband was out, this woman in black would bully her. She'd snatch her child away, even throw the kid on the ground and stomp hard.

That woman in black, she's a real piece of work!

"Ethan, take your mom back to her room and rest. Have someone look after her, don't let her scream all night and disturb everyone's rest."

Nathan finally made way for his son to take his wife back to their room.

Ethan didn't say a word, quietly guarding his mother as they walked past the crowd.

He could feel his mother's fear of Madeleine.

That wicked woman must have bullied his mom again while he was out.

The people he arranged to protect his mom didn't do a good job.

Ethan's gaze was filled with indifference.

It seemed like he needed a new crew.

He needed real pros, those who wouldn't be scared off by the Porter and the Blue families. Only such people could protect his mom.

But in Skywatch, it was hard to replace people who weren't afraid of these two families' influence.

It was only when he returned to Janice's room that Ethan understood why his mother was screaming in the middle of the night.

The doll that his mother usually treated like his sister was missing.

Ethan was filled with hatred.

It was just a doll, yet those people stole it and threw it away, deliberately provoking his mother.

It must've been Madeleine's doing. Every time she came, his mother would go crazy.

Ethan loathed the woman who might become his stepmother, but he had no proof that Madeleine was behind this.

Madeleine was arrogant, yet extremely cautious. She never left any traces behind no matter what she did.