The Red Rose of Manhattan Chapter 16

But Ethan seemed not to hear.

He wasn't ignorant of what had happened.

Over these three years, though he'd never actively sought news about her, information still reached him through various channels.

He knew she'd peaked at debut, that every film was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, that she'd won numerous prestigious awards... He'd even had his assistant secretly buy tickets to all her movies, collecting posters and merchandise of her endorsements, hiding them in the most secret drawer of his study.

He just... never allowed himself to look for her.

His gaze, like precision radar, pierced through the surging crowd, locking onto the figure just emerging from the regular passage under heavy security.

She was even more dazzling in person than in the poster.

Wearing a simple white shirt and jeans with a camel trench coat, sunglasses covering most of her face, but unable to hide that natural star quality and carefree charisma.

She smiled and waved at the screaming fans on both sides, graceful but maintaining appropriate distance.

As Ethan stared at her across the crowd—hungrily, suffocatingly—a tall man in a navy casual suit, handsome with a touch of rakish charm, suddenly broke through the crowd with a huge bouquet of Ecuadorian roses, approaching her with a grin.

It was Ryan Chase, heir to the Chase family fortune, known as a playboy but from a prominent family with considerable personal ability.

Ryan naturally took her carry-on luggage, leaned down to whisper something in her ear.

Lily actually laughed at whatever he said, her cold expression melting into something vivid and playful, even playfully swatting his shoulder with her hand.

Their interaction was intimate, natural, filled with a rapport no one else could penetrate.

Watching this scene, Ethan's face instantly darkened!

The pressure around him dropped so sharply that even Serena beside him couldn't help but shiver.

Almost pushed by the crowd, they made it to the parking garage.

Coincidentally, Ethan's car was parked near Lily's team's conspicuous stretch Lincoln.

Ethan watched Ryan gallantly open Lily's car door, one hand protectively over her head to prevent bumping. Just as Lily bent to enter, she seemed to sense something, suddenly turning, her gaze piercing the short distance and crashing into Ethan's eyes!

Time seemed to truly stop.

Ethan's heart jumped to his throat. He could clearly hear his own blood rushing.

He saw her eyes behind the sunglasses widen slightly, showing a moment of surprise.

But only a moment.

The next second, all emotion drained from those beautiful eyes, returning to a calm, still lake, even... carrying the polite distance of looking at a stranger.

She merely gave the slightest, almost imperceptible nod toward his direction, as if acknowledging a random fan who'd recognized her.

Then she calmly looked away, bent down, got in the car, never hesitating for a second.

Ryan also noticed Ethan. He closed the car door, and across the window, shot Ethan a provocative look, lips curving into a playful smile before circling to the driver's seat and starting the engine.

The black stretch Lincoln roared to life and sped away, disappearing from the airport parking garage exit.

Ethan stood frozen like he'd been nailed in place, his whole body ice cold.

Serena called his name several times from beside him, but he seemed not to hear.

His ears filled only with buzzing tinnitus, his mind echoing one sharp voice—

She saw him.

Clearly saw him.

But she completely, thoroughly... ignored him.