“Listen,” Ethan ran a hand through his slicked back hair. “The more we’re quiet, the guiltier we seem. We go out, we refuse to discuss the situation other than denying it. We don't let them rattle us-”Ethan turned and took both my hands in his, catching my eye and holding my gaze. His eyes were war
My knees hit the pavement beneath me. The skirt of my dress was short enough that it didn’t cover my skin from getting scraped up on the impact. Blood and dirt coated my knees.Feeling more helpless than I had in a long time, I openly wept on the corner of the street. I couldn’t understand it. Why w
“I’ll make things better for you, one way or another.” He whispered to me as he picked me up and carried me to the car. I told him I could walk, but he didn’t want to listen. Once I was placed in the front seat, he reached across me to buckle me up as well. His fingers brushed against my thigh, ting
“What do you want?” Dora crossed her hands over her chest and leaned against the doorframe. “Ethan finally dumped you and you’re here to beg for a job?”“No I-” I tried to speak but Dora cut me off.“Don’t care then,” She placed her hand on the back of the door in an attempt to slam it in my face. B
Ethan’s PovI woke up to an empty bed. Most days started the same, but I distinctly remember falling asleep with Ava huddled in my arms.I turned over. The soft, floral scent from her perfume permeated the pillows and blankets that surrounded me. Ava, though, was gone. I sat still and listened to t
She tried to speak but I cut her off.“If you don’t, I will ensure that every day is just a reminder of what you did to her and you will get the treatment that you deserve.”Her eyes widened slightly, but the snarl on her face didn’t fade. She bit out a quiet ‘whatever’ and stomped her way back into
Ava’s PovIt was weird, having to prepare to see my mom in the hospital. I’d been calling her as much as possible, though I admit it wasn’t enough.I called ahead and let the hospital and my mother know that I would be coming in to visit. Ethan and I spent all morning dressing as nicely as we could,
Because her illness was so severe, she had no memories of the week that Ethan and I got married and moved out. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was a contractual agreement that I only agreed to to save her.I wanted her to live in fantasy for as long as possible.“Your daughter is one of
Ethan’s face morphed into one of ecstasy and despair mixed together. He had found me, he found his son, but he missed the first three years of his son’s life. He missed his birth, my pregnancy, he never got to pick the name.Part of me felt guilty for hiding him away all these years, but I knew in m
It’s been three years since I saw Ethan. Three years since that night when I escaped Andrew. Three years since I found out I was pregnant with Ethan’s son.I named him James.My mother and I had run ‘Wonder Dough’ bakery ever since we escaped. It was flourishing within the new city that we inhabited
I bit my lip, hearing Ethan’s voice was enough to cause my heart to skip a beat.“If you do not back down, I will take one of Ava’s fingers for every failed business deal you cause me,” Andrew growled. I took a step away from the door, still listening. My breathing became ragged.“Why do I care?” Et
Running away from Ethan that night was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. Only followed by having to pretend to be madly in love with Baron.After I left Ethan in the bathroom, I went back to Baron and wrapped my arms around him. The same arms that were previously around Ethan’s shoulder
Barging into the bathroom, I let the tears of stress and heartache flow freely down my face. I gripped the marble countertop and let my head fall as I sobbed. I didn’t know how much longer I could take this.“Ava?” Ethan’s voice echoed in the empty bathroom.I quickly wiped my eyes and turned to see
Baron told me he loved me. He said he always had, even when he knew I was with Ethan. He said he loved me, and I didn’t say it back.I couldn’t even stomach the idea of loving someone like Baron back.“Baron said he loves me,” I told Andrew one night over dinner. My mother took dinner in her room, s
Even if it also broke mine.“Ethan,” I gave Andrew a sideways glance, “I can’t go back with you.”“Why?” Ethan pleaded, “What happened that made you leave me?”I furrowed my brow and cocked my head to the side. As if he didn’t know? He acted as though he didn’t ignore me for a week and immediately r
Ethan’s Point of View- Ava leaving was one of the worst things to happen in my life. The day I went to work extra early, I came home to an empty house.Ava and I hadn’t been talking, but I was always hyper-aware of where she was in the house, what she was doing, whether she was taking care of herse
Ethan left after I told him who my father was. He wanted nothing to do with me, or he needed time to think it over. I didn’t know, he didn’t say anything.I didn’t see him for days. He avoided me every chance he got, and it tore apart my heart each time I woke up to an empty bed. He started sleeping