No Sex for Six Years Because of Her? I'm Done novel Chapter 57

**Chapter 57: Sugarcoat**

Ethan furrowed his brows, a storm of thoughts brewing behind his piercing gaze.

His mind was racing, grappling with an unsettling feeling that something about this entire situation was off. Yet, the moment he caught sight of Hannah’s pained expression, those doubts began to dissipate like mist in the morning sun. He knew Hannah well; she had always been the embodiment of kindness and gentleness since their childhood days. There was no conceivable way she could engage in anything underhanded.

But a nagging thought lingered in the back of his mind. If Hannah was indeed responsible for the design drafts and the team at Stellar Attire ended up producing subpar work, the repercussions would fall squarely on Rowe Group. Their rivals would revel in their misfortune, laughing at their expense.

Ethan’s gaze involuntarily shifted toward Amelia, as if drawn by an invisible force.

“Amelia,” he began after a moment of deliberation, finally arriving at what he hoped was a “perfect” solution. “Since Ms. Bardot specifically mentioned Hannah, I believe she should take the lead on the design drafts. However, we both know she lacks the experience needed for this project. There’s so much she still needs to learn.”

He paused, letting his words hang in the air before continuing, “How about this: you can assist her this time around, and together, the two of you can see this project through to completion. I’ll even offer you double the project bonus as an incentive.”

Amelia responded with a cold, mirthless laugh that sent a chill down Ethan’s spine.

“Ethan, spare me the sugarcoating,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why don’t you just come out and say what you really want? You want me to do all the design work, slap Hannah’s name on it, and send it off to the client, right?”

Her bluntness struck Ethan like a slap in the face, darkening his expression instantly. He could see the hurt in Hannah’s eyes, as if she had been pierced by a dagger. A soft cry escaped her lips, and she fell to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Ms. Harlow, how can you say such things about me?” Hannah gasped, pressing a hand against her chest, utterly heartbroken. “I know I still have room to grow, but I’ve always wanted to prove myself through my own work. I would never dream of copying someone or stealing their ideas!”

“Ethan only wanted to help you,” she continued, her voice trembling with emotion. “He didn’t want you to feel bad about potentially losing this project. That’s why he suggested you stay involved!”

Ethan felt his patience fraying at the edges. Looking at Amelia’s icy demeanor, he couldn’t help but feel that her reaction was completely unreasonable.

“Amelia, can you please stop being so petty?” he snapped, his voice rising with frustration. “According to company policy, you should be held accountable for screwing up such a crucial project and for the losses incurred!”

“I didn’t blame you; I even offered to let you assist so that you wouldn’t lose face. What more do you want from me? What are you upset about now?” His words hung in the air, thick with tension.

At that moment, Amelia’s disappointment in Ethan reached its breaking point. She felt an overwhelming urge to distance herself from the two of them. The thought of remaining in the office for even another second was unbearable.

“Ethan, please don’t be angry…”

Hannah had moved to his side at some point, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears. She looked utterly vulnerable.

“Ms. Harlow probably just said all that because she was upset,” Hannah said softly, her voice a gentle balm to the raging storm within him. “You two are married, after all. You raised your voice in front of everyone. As a woman, she must have felt humiliated and hurt.”

“Wife?” Ethan scoffed, his tone laced with incredulity.

“If she made a mistake, I’m obligated to scold her! What do you expect me to do—hold her hand and shower her with praise?” His voice grew colder, sharper. “Work is work. If she messes up, she needs to face the music. Is that really such a difficult concept to grasp?”

Hannah flinched at his rising anger, and seeing her distress began to temper his fury.

“Don’t worry…” he reassured her, forcing himself to calm down. “I refuse to believe that my design department can’t thrive without her.”

He cast a cold glance at the stack of documents—Amelia’s countless hours of hard work. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll ensure that everyone in the design department supports you without question and provides you with all the resources you need. We’re going to make this Stellar Attire project our finest work yet. Let’s show everyone that we can achieve even greater things without her.”