Chris saw that Ethan didn't respond, so he added, "Donating her bone marrow is different from donating her kidney. No harm will come to her body. I know she's still mad about what happened during the kidnapping.

"But they're mother and daughter, after all. She shouldn't hold a grudge against her mother. Let me meet with her. There are some things that I need to say to her in person."

"Mr. Carlton, I'm not holding her captive. Her phone is accessible. You're here because she isn't willing to meet with you, right?"

Ethan exhaled some smoke with his head tilted upward. "Since she has already decided, I don't want to trouble her with more issues. She suffered significant psychological trauma in that kidnapping."

The conversations between them had always been short and straight to the point. But Chris had no choice but to lay his pride down for Chloe's sake.

"Ethan, I know you don't have feelings for Marina. You're marrying her because you want our family to back you, right?"

"That'