After the video call, Claire and Natalie were absolutely stunned.
Seeing Ethan's apartment—warm, brightly lit, packed with food—it was like catching a glimpse of heaven from the depths of hell.
They couldn't believe it. After ten days of the frozen apocalypse, someone was still living like a king.
Ethan smiled lazily and said,"You two look thinner. Congratulations!"
Claire and Natalie wanted to scream.
Thin? They weren't dieting—they were starving.They'd been rationing instant noodles, afraid to eat more than one packet a day.
Natalie's eyes locked onto the food in Ethan's kitchen. She swallowed hard."Ethan, how do you have so much food? Is that all from the shopping trip we did before?"
Ethan turned to glance at the kitchen."Oh, that junk? I only eat it when I'm too lazy to cook. Honestly, I barely touch it."
That was the truth.His interdimensional storage was piled high with gourmet meals.He'd ordered from every high-end restaurant he could find. Not to mention the billions' worth of food from the Walmart distribution center.
But to Claire and Natalie, those words felt like a slap in the face.
Instant noodles were now going for $2,000 a packet in the building's chat group.And he was calling it junk food?
Ethan could see their throats bobbing as they swallowed saliva.
He said nothing more—just watched their eyes glitter with hunger.
Claire immediately switched to a flirtatious tone, voice soft and teasing."Ethan, you're so amazing~ You were right to stock up. You're always thinking ahead!"
Her voice dripped with sugar, and her usual tone of superiority vanished completely.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, amused.
"It's nothing. Just got lucky."
Claire leaned in, eyes sparkling."Your place looks so cozy… And it's not even the power-on window. How are your lights on?"
Ethan casually flipped his phone camera around, revealing a fireplace crackling in the background.
"Oh, that? We've got a fireplace. Honestly, it gets too hot sometimes."
He added with mock concern,"From how you two look, it must be freezing over there. Outside's that bad, huh?"
He tilted his head, pretending to ponder."Haven't been outside in like ten days. No idea how bad it is, really."
Claire and Natalie were fuming.
He knew exactly how bad it was—and he was rubbing it in.
But they couldn't say a word.He was the one sitting in paradise. And he had every right to gloat.
Claire had only one thought now: She had to get into that apartment.
The food. The heat. The security. It was everything she wanted.
She blinked her big eyes and leaned in closer to the screen, pouting adorably."Ethan~ you're so amazing. I admire you so much!"
"Can I come over and visit you? It's been so long—I really missed you…"
It was her go-to move, one that had worked on countless men.Claire was confident it would work again.
After all, Ethan had once chased her like a puppy. If she gave even the tiniest opening, he'd surely leap at the chance.
Once inside, she'd find a way to stay.
Worst case? She'd toss him a bit of "affection." Men were all the same, right?
But this time… she was wrong.
Ethan watched her bat her lashes and felt nothing but disgust.
He couldn't believe he'd once spent two years pining over this woman.They'd both worked in the warehouse district, and with so few female employees around, Claire's cute outfits and flirtatious smiles had elevated her to goddess status in his eyes.
But now?
Now he saw her for what she really was.
A narcissistic, manipulative parasite.
He leaned back on the couch, resting his chin in his palm.
"In this weather? You should really stay home. No point running around, right?"
"Though I wouldn't really know how bad it is outside. But judging from how you two look, I guess it's pretty cold?"
Claire and Natalie stared at the screen, stunned.
Had they just… been rejected?
Claire was especially floored.
Ethan was supposed to be a solid backup—one snap of her fingers and he'd come crawling.She'd just offered to go to his place, and he said no?
The nerve!
And worse, his tone was pure smugness.
Claire forced a smile back onto her face."Ethan~ don't tease me. You used to treat me so well!"
"You're not really going to say no to me just wanting to visit, right? I mean… I'm not asking for anything crazy."
She pouted, lower lip trembling. It was a picture of vulnerability.
Most men would've melted on the spot.
But not Ethan.
He remembered the times he'd tried to get her to come over before, offering gifts, surprises, expensive dinners—only to be met with excuses.
So now, he gave her back her own words.
"Didn't you always say we're both single and shouldn't give people the wrong idea?"
"I think you were right. We really should keep our distance."
"Don't want people talking, after all."
His tone was light. Almost amused.
But Claire felt like she'd been slapped.
All her pride, all her illusions of control—shattered.
Her backup plan just fell through.
And worst of all, she could still see the food and warmth in the background.
She couldn't accept this.
She was the goddess.She wasn't supposed to beg. She was supposed to be chased.
But now?She was the one staring into a paradise she couldn't enter.
And Ethan was the one smiling behind the gate.