I Married the President

Fools don’t have to think about what they’ll eat or wear tomorrow. They don’t have to worry about money or the evil in people’s hearts. They don’t have to think about anything at all. How simple.

In this light, Ivy Tanner felt her own foolishness was much like Claire Sinclair’s innocence. The only difference was that Claire lived out in the open, while Ivy was trapped in a dark corner, unable to see the sun.

A silence fell between them, and neither spoke.

It wasn’t long before the two heartthrobs finally arrived, having finished taping their show.

Claire Sinclair instinctively moved to go out and greet her husband, but Ivy Tanner beat her to it. Ivy tried to go find Ethan Kingsley, but in her weakened state, she collapsed onto the floor.

She was in a lot of pain, but she didn’t cry. She just sat there on the floor, turning her hand over to inspect it. Finding a spot where the skin was scraped, she tried to peel it away.

Without a word, Ethan Kingsley walked to her side, scooped her up into his arms, and placed her back on the bed. Only then did he speak. "Little Idiot, does it hurt?"

"It hurts. Brother Kingsley, I missed you so much." Like a clingy kitten, Ivy burrowed into his embrace, her small hands tugging at the hem of his clothes.

A wave of sadness washed over Claire Sinclair as she watched them.

’It was obvious Ivy Tanner had special feelings for Ethan Kingsley, but they were incredibly restrained. If one didn’t know she was pretending to be a fool, no one would have been able to tell.’

’Ethan Kingsley was so wicked, so ruthless. It was a small mercy he wasn’t quite as cruel to Ivy, but his heartlessness was still terrifying.’

Claire Sinclair couldn’t bear to watch. She looked up at her husband. "Mr. Quincy, the Third Miss Tanner is in such a pitiful state. I’d like to come visit her at the hospital every day for a while. May I?"

Adrian Quincy gave a slight nod. "Of course."

Hearing this, Ethan Kingsley turned to look at the couple and said with a smile, "I’m afraid you won’t need to trouble yourself. I’ll be sending her back today."

Claire’s face darkened. "And where will you be sending her?" she asked coolly. "To your home, or back to the Tanners?"

"And why is that?" Ethan Kingsley asked, intrigued.

Claire gritted her teeth. "With your extraordinary perception, Mr. Kingsley, I’m sure you understand perfectly well why the Third Miss Tanner was hospitalized. She has the mental capacity of an eight-year-old, and her injuries haven’t healed. Sending her back to the Tanner family like this... are you trying to get her killed?"

A small smile played on Ethan Kingsley’s lips. "I won’t send her back to the Tanners. I’ll take her home with me. Is that to your satisfaction?"

This was exactly the opening Claire had been waiting for. A surge of defiance rose in her. "You don’t need to worry about my satisfaction. From now on, I’ll be calling you every day to check on the Third Miss Tanner’s condition. I’m just not the kind of person who can stand by and watch the weak get bullied. I hope you’ll treat her better, Mr. Kingsley. If not, then hand her over to me. As it happens, I know the director of the local welfare institute quite well. I’m sure its volunteers know how to protect a child with special needs far better than you do, Mr. Kingsley."

Ethan Kingsley’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced down at the small woman buried in his embrace.

’For years, he had paid this Little Idiot no mind. The only time he acknowledged her was on her birthday, when he would send a token gift to keep her happy—a gesture that also served as a warning to the Tanner family.’

’All he felt for her was guilt, with no other attachments. He’d even thought about getting rid of her, treating her as just another obstacle in his path, but he could never bring himself to go through with it.’

’Yet now that someone was demanding he hand over this very obstacle, he hesitated.’

’It was like someone trying to pluck a single hair from his arm. The hair itself was insignificant, but he would still feel the sting of it being pulled out, a feeling of being violated.’

’He didn’t like people taking what was his—even if that person was Claire Sinclair.’