Chapter 35
Sitting in my childhood bedroom, surrounded by familiar walls adorned with memories of years gone by, I can’t shake the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me.
The revelation about Ethan’s true identity has left me reeling, questioning everything I thought I knew about him.
I knew he was well-off, but I never imagined he was obscenely wealthy. The realization that he kept such a significant aspect of his life hidden from me stings, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
It’s not his wealth that bothers me—it’s the secrecy, the feeling of betrayal that cuts deep.
As I sift through my thoughts, I can’t help but wonder what else Ethan has kept from me.
If he could hide something as significant as his true identity, what other secrets lie beneath the surface? The uncertainty gnaws at me, casting a shadow over our relationship.
Despite my frustration and disappointment, I can’t deny the lingering ache in my heart, the longing for the man who captured my heart with his charm and kindness.
But beneath it all lies a sense of apprehension, a fear of what else I may discover about the man I thought I knew.
Doubt and suspicion creep in like unwelcome guests, casting shadows of uncertainty over my thoughts.
Could Ethan’s deception be linked to Lysa’s sudden hostility towards me? The pieces of the puzzle begin to form a disturbing picture—maybe he is still with her.
The thought of Ethan’s possible involvement with Lysa sends a shiver down my spine.
I find myself caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, torn between the love I feel for Ethan and the fear that his secrets may destroy our fragile relationship.
Can I trust him again after this betrayal?
I’m still lost in my thoughts when the door creaks open, and my mother’s gentle voice pulls me back to reality.
She stands in the doorway, her expression a mix of concern and empathy.
“Jessy, darling, you have been moping and refusing to come out of your room since you returned. I know you are angry at Ethan for lying to you, but you seem really unhappy. Maybe you should just answer his calls and allow him to explain,” she suggests softly, her eyes reflecting the worry etched on her face.
I turn to face her, my own turmoil mirrored in my gaze. “I can’t, Mom,” I admit, the words heavy on my tongue. “I don’t know if I can trust him anymore.”
My mother crosses the room and sits beside me on the bed.
“Love isn’t perfect, sweetheart,” she begins, her voice a soothing melody in the quiet room. “Sometimes, we get hurt in love, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on it.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as her words sink in, touching a raw nerve deep within me. “But how do I know if I can trust him again?” I whisper.
My mother reaches out, enveloping me in a warm embrace. “Trust takes time, my dear,” she says gently.
“You must listen to your heart and give yourself the chance to heal.”
As I sit nestled in my mother’s embrace, I try to believe her words.
“I will leave you alone now. Dinner will be ready soon. Come join us, okay?” Mom says as she pulls away from our hug.
“Okay,” I replied, nodding.
After she leaves, I drift back to my thoughts, staring mindlessly at my ceiling walls.
The shrill ring of my phone pierces through the heavy silence of the room, jolting me out of my reverie. It’s Chloe.
“Hey, Chloe,” I greet her tentatively, my voice betraying the unease swirling inside me.
“Hey, Jessy, how are you holding up?”
I sigh. “You sound like someone died,” I say with a dry chuckle.
“I know you are heartbroken,’’ she says with a sigh. “Still not taking Ethan’s calls?”
“No.”
“You won’t believe who showed up at the diner today,” Chloe says in a low tone.
“Who was it?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. I’m not in the mood for gossip, but I guess it will help take my mind off Ethan for a while.
“It was Ethan,” Chloe reveals, her words landing like a heavy blow, stealing the breath from my lungs.
Well, there goes my attempt to stop thinking about him Ethan.
“Ethan?” I repeat, my mind reeling with disbelief. “How did he even know where you work?”
“I have no idea. He came to the diner asking after you,” Chloe continues, her voice tinged with concern. “He looked really miserable, Jessy. I’m sorry, but I had to tell him where you were.”
Well, as he should, because I am and look miserable too.
“It’s okay, Chloe,” I assure her, forcing a note of calm into my voice. “You did what you thought was right.”
Chloe’s voice breaks through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. “I’m sorry, Jessy,” she says again, her voice laced with regret. “I didn’t mean to betray your trust.”
“It’s okay, Chloe,” I repeat.
“Although I didn’t give him your address, I doubt he won’t be able to find it.”
“Yeah, I don’t doubt that. I guess I should be expecting his visit.”
“Maybe you should hear him out. You love him, don’t you?”
“Way more than you think,” I murmur to myself.
“Well, if he shows up there, I think you should hear him out.”
As I end the call, I decide to take a shower and go downstairs to have dinner with my mom and stepdad.
My fork clinksagainst the plate as I take the final bite of my dinner. Just as I push my chair back, preparing to clear the table, a loud knock reverberates through the house, interrupting the quiet evening.
I exchange a puzzled glance with my mom, who furrows her brows in confusion. “Expecting anyone?” she asks, her voice tinged with curiosity.
I shake my head, equally perplexed. “No, not at all,” I reply, rising from my seat and making my way to the door.
And as I open the door, there he stands?—
My breath catches in my throat as I take in his unexpected presence, my mind struggling to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me.
“Ethan?” I utter, my voice barely above a whisper.
He meets my gaze with a mixture of apprehension and longing. We simply stand there for a moment, locked in a silent exchange.
As the seconds stretch into eternity, Ethan breaks the silence.
“Jessy,” he begins, his words carrying a raw vulnerability that pierces through the air like a dagger, “please, can we talk?”
I feel a swirl of emotions rise within me, uncertainty warring with a flicker of hope. Part of me wants to shut the door and retreat back into the safety of the house, but another part yearns to hear what he has to say.
Drawing a deep breath, I nod slowly and step aside to allow him entry. “Come in,” I murmur, my voice barely audible above the pounding of my heart.
Ethan steps over the threshold, his presence filling the space with an unspoken tension. Mom and my stepdad have already disappeared to give us privacy.
Turning to face him, I find myself at a loss for words, the weight of his gaze bearing down on me like a heavy cloak.
“What do you want to talk about?” I finally manage to say, my voice betraying the turmoil churning within me.
Ethan takes a step closer, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.
“Us,” he replies simply, his voice tinged with an undercurrent of longing. “I need to explain, Jessy. Please, just give me a chance.”
I swallow hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to form coherent thoughts. “Explain?” I repeat the word hanging in the air between us like a fragile thread. “Explain what, exactly?”
His gaze softens, a flicker of remorse flashing across his features. “Everything,” he murmurs, his voice tinged with regret.
“But first, I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you. I love you, Jessy.”
A wave of conflicting emotions washes over me, uncertainty warring with a lingering ache deep within my heart. “I don’t know if I can trust you,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ethan reaches out, his hand hovering in the space between us as if searching for reassurance. “I understand,” he replies, his voice tinged with sadness. “But please, just hear me out. That’s all I ask.”
And listen to him, I did. I listened as he tells me about his fears of me treating him differently if I knew how influential he was and his true role in the hotel.
“You were scared?” I echo, the words feeling foreign on my tongue as I struggle to process his revelation. “Scared of what, exactly?”
His gaze meets mine, a mixture of remorse and vulnerability shining in his eyes. “I know it sounds absurd, but I was terrified that you would see me differently if you found out the truth about me. That you would think I was using my wealth to impress you, or worse, that you would walk away,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.
A surge of empathy washes over me as I listen to his words, the walls around my heart beginning to crumble in the face of his raw honesty.
“But why didn’t you just tell me?” I find myself asking, the frustration and hurt seeping into my voice despite my best efforts to remain composed.
Ethan’s expression softens, a fleeting flicker of regret passing across his features. “I wanted to,” he confesses, his voice tinged with remorse. “But every time I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was so afraid of losing you, Jessy, that I let my fear cloud my judgment.”
Despite the hurt and confusion swirling within me, I find myself unable to deny the depth of my feelings for him,
“And Lysa?” I find myself asking the question, slipping out before I can stop it.
“She is in my past. As you know, we dated, but it’s been over for a year now.”
A wave of relief washes over me at his words, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly as I allow myself to believe in the possibility of redemption.
“I want to trust you, Ethan,” I admit, the words tasting bittersweet on my tongue. “But it’s going to take time.”
He nods, a flicker of understanding shining in his eyes. “I know,” he replies softly. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust, Jessy. I promise.”
I allow him to hug me as he stretches out his arms, closing my eyes as I inhale his scent and melt into his hug.