In the end, Maddie chose Cartier for the watch and Van Cleef & Arpels for the jewelry. Indeed, women can never resist Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Ethan never really understood what made Cartier so special, but girls just loved it!
Of course, Valentino and Balenciaga were a perfect match too.
This was Ethan's second time at Time Warner Center buying Valentino and Balenciaga. Last time, he'd brought Sophie along. Since he'd bought so much for Sophie, the clerk remembered him. This time, seeing him bring another girl, she instantly understood.
Carrying shopping bags of all sizes printed with dazzling logos as she walked out of the mall, Maddie felt her feet float lightly, enveloped by a great sense of happiness.
She secretly glanced at the man beside her who had spent lavishly for her, feeling an indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.
Back at the spacious flat at The Hudson Residences, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm golden glow over everything.
Maddie put down her heavy shopping bags, suddenly turned to face Ethan, her face flushed with a charming blush and a hint of shy courage: "Babe, let me dance for you!"
Before Ethan could answer, she changed into a newly bought outfit, then nimbly stepped back a few paces and took a deep breath.
She stood on tiptoe, stretched out her arms, and swayed her waist gently. A modern dance blending classical elegance flowed effortlessly across her.
Maddie changed into different outfits, performing several stunning dances in front of Ethan one after another.
...
Evening.
Ethan looked at Maddie, limp on the soft big bed, looking like a lazy cat, and asked, "Want to get some exercise? There's a gym or a heated pool downstairs."
Maddie didn't even bother to lift her eyelids; she just waved her hand softly, her voice tinged with a playful, worn-out charm: "Mmm... babe, you go... Right now, I just want to melt into this bed, I don't want to go anywhere..."
Ethan smiled and didn't press further.
He changed into comfortable workout clothes and took the elevator down alone to the basement level.
When the elevator doors opened, what greeted him wasn't an ordinary community gym, but a stylish private club.
Soft warm light shone on dark wood finishes and matte metal, with a faint scent of fragrance and cleaning products filling the air.
A huge floor mirror, top-brand Italian equipment, and a private training area all highlighted luxury and professionalism.
But what stood out most were the figures weaving through the scene — every beautiful personal trainer with a hot figure, wearing tight sports bras and leggings. The number and quality far surpassed those of any regular fitness facility.
Ethan wasn't entirely sure whether the residents living here actually needed professional fitness guidance or something else entirely...
In short, in this kind of fitness atmosphere, very few of the men who came here were actually there to work out.
He walked to the free weights area and chose a flat bench press station.
The weight wasn't light; he focused on pushing, feeling the contraction and expansion of his chest muscles.
After just over ten minutes, three beautiful personal trainers of different styles came over one after another, wearing sweet professional smiles and asking if he needed guidance. Their tone was gentle but carried a hint of suggestion.
But he turned them all down, for a simple reason: he wasn't interested right now.
After several sets of pushes, the soreness and swelling in his arms and chest became noticeable, so he planned to get up.
At that moment, a pressing shadow loomed over, accompanied by a refined breath mixed with sweat and a certain cool fragrance. Two full, firm "peaks" blocked his view, almost touching his nose.
"The angle of your arms is a bit too wide," a cool, professional female voice rang out, "That's going to overload the lateral fibers of your chest, and it puts more strain on your wrists and rotator cuffs."
Before she finished speaking, she'd already placed her hand on his forearm, using just the right amount of force to tuck his elbow inward into a more scientific position.
Her touch was swift and professional, without any unnecessary pause.
Ethan was a bit confused, but still tried lifting it a few times. Sure enough, the force from the seam of his chest muscles was stronger, and the discomfort in his arms and wrists was much lessened.
"Heh, I really can't afford your personal training rate!" Ethan half-jokingly looked at her and said.
Then he sat up from the bench.
"Seeing bad form and having a professional instinct kick in — that's just a little guidance. Charging someone for that? Seems a bit much." That voice rang out again.
Only then was Ethan able to see her full form.
Her height was estimated at over 5'8", with a tall, willowy posture.
Her lower body featured ultra-fitted, dark, high-waisted leggings that perfectly outlined her stunning curves from waist and hips down through her thighs and calves.
On top, she wore a sporty crop top with a strong silhouette, revealing a firm, flat stomach with faintly visible abs and smooth shoulder and arm lines.
The most striking part was her figure below the waist — full and toned, like a finely sculpted work of art, presenting a textbook shape, clearly the result of years of scientific and systematic training, full of tension mixed with strength and allure.
This was far beyond the level of an ordinary gym.
Her features were equally striking and sharp, and her eyes were clear yet sharp, scrutinizing him.
Sweat had soaked a few strands of hair stuck to her temple, but instead of looking disheveled, it added a touch of wildness.
The overall vibe was sexy but not crude, exuding a sense of polish.
Ethan had seen plenty of short videos from his previous life; guys mainly trained their upper body, looking imposing and strong. For women, on the other hand, glute training was often the top priority.
Most importantly, everyone chased a particular shape.
Some went for a rounder look, others something else, but Ethan never really understood the finer distinctions anyway.
The woman in front of him was extremely striking in both her face and her figure.
Ethan was currently in a bit of a physical recovery period, but the moment his gaze swept over this body — practically a model of human aesthetics — the dormant hormones in him instantly sparked back to life, stirring restlessly.
Her figure seemed to sit right at some perfect threshold — a little more and it would look exaggerated, a little less and it would lose its impact.
Ethan genuinely couldn't figure out how she'd trained for this. This kind of perfectly balanced appeal was simply commanding.
She was also the best-built woman Ethan had ever seen.
Ethan suppressed the ripple in his chest and gave a gentle smile: "Hey there. What should I call you?"
"Jasmine," she replied succinctly, then extended her right hand.
There are 130 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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