ETHAN"Do you realize what you're telling me to do? I went out of that lome of game for a very very long while. Ethan, I promised my wife." Liam stated from the other end of the phone while Ethan squinted his eyes toward Reina's gate and rubbed his forehead again.It was an act that he had done more times than usual especially these days that he was overly stressed."So I guess your wife is the problem? I would speak to your wife if I need to Liam, I am desperate." I heaved a sigh and there was a pause at the other end of the line."Ethan, what if I get caught? I can't just walk into someone's house and plant camera's, it's quite risky you know and I'm not about to get arrested and leave my wife while I'm on my honey moon." I took the phone away from his my and stared at it with a raised brow."Liam, you're not on your honeymoon. You got married 3 years ago." Liam chuckled while I leaned in closer on the rails gazing towards her house. It seemed like she was taking her son to school.
ETHAN'S POV I stared at the footage, my eyes fixed on Bruce and Reina as they slipped into bed together. Reina didn't even seem the least disturbed that she was getting into bed with another man. I mean, is that supposed to be normal? From what I saw, there were a lot of empty rooms that Bruce could use but they decided to act like a couple and sleep together? Or are they really a couple? I've hesitated to believe that from the onset but all this is infuriating. There's no way they are a couple! Fuck, I really really really, refuse to believe that. My mind raced with anger and jealousy, my fists clenched at my sides. How could she do this to me? How could she just move on so easily? Okay, I think I'm acting a bit mad now. I slammed my second laptop shut, the screen cracking against the wall. I didn't care. I couldn't care. I was too consumed by my own rage. This makes it the second laptop I'm destroying in a space of 10 minutes. I grabbed my phone and logged onto the camera f
ETHAN'S POV I stormed out of my house, my mind racing with the new information from the private investigator. Yes, I was unable to sleep well after seeing the footage of Reina and Bruce so I called up Liam and he referred me to another private investigator that resumed work the other day. Andrew was alone at school, and they were having a father's celebration event. This was the perfect opportunity to confront him. I arrived at the school and made my way to the auditorium, where the event was being held. I could hear the sound of laughter and applause as I approached. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come. Come what may, today I have to talk to my son. I'm sure he would also have his own opinions when he sees me but I was prepared for it. As I entered the auditorium, I scanned the room for Andrew. He was sitting on stage, looking smug as usual. I made my way through the crowd, my eyes locked on him. "Mr Ethan Walters!" Someone had called out to me a
REINA'S POV"Is there no way you can speed up? I need to be in my sons school in hours." I pressurized the uber driver. Out of the least of things that has happened, today's failure was huge. Andrew's school was celebrating Father's Day and Bruce was supposed to be there but he caught a flu the night before. My car suddenly broke down so I had to take the Uber which only took things to an intense level."Ma'am, I'm riding within the speed limit." I facepalmed myself, he had said that about a million times now and I was tired of hearing it.Soon, I was already at the school. I wondered what he must be feeling with other kids surrounded by their families while he was alone.He would feel so lonely and that prompted me to start running with my heels towards the hall.The front part was quieter than usual, and the silence was oppressive which was normal as the hall was far inside rhe compound.Oh hold on, did I forget that there was a father's day celebration?That would be where all th
ETHAN'S POV They say pain comes in different dimensions and often times, embarrassment hurts more than it but if I had the power to shift the hand of the clock, i would definitely say that i get embarrassed every day of my life than face this kind of pain that was coursing through my veins. I watched in agony as Reina dragged Andrew away, his small hands reaching out for me. "But mummy, this uncle is a nice man. I was already getting bullied by some kids that my daddy won't show up when he came. Surely, he deserves to be called Daddy for just today." The small kid stated and my eyes welled up in tears. How broken I would.be when it is finally cemented that he is not my child, if I'm able to survive the pain then I'm pretty sure I can survive every other thing. "Let him go, Reina. Just few more minutes won't do any harm.." I begged, my voice echoing down the hallway. "Andrew? Where is daddy?" Reina asked and I used my hand ker chief to wipe my eyes that were already red and hot
REINA'S POV. "What did you say, Andrew? There's no way Ethan is here right?" I turned to stare at Bruce who was smoothening Andrew's hair as he had just ran inside. "I don't think the child saw a ghost, Reina. If he said he saw Ethan, then there is every possiblity that Ethan is here." Bruce stood up walking towards the door and it seemed like our hearts were in sync because that's exactly what I wanted to do. "Are you?" I didn't complete the question when he nodded and I ruffled Andrew's hair slightly. "Baby, stay here okay? I and uncle is going to be back soon." I assured and he nodded I stormed up the stairs with Bruce by my side, expecting to see Ethan walking away when I saw them. How ironically beautiful. He was here not just alone but with his wife. Ethan and Ravenna, standing there like they owned the place though one could feel the spite and anger between them but it didn't deter me from walking over to them. "What are you doing here?" I spat, my anger boiling over as
REINA'S POV "Oh my goodness, Reina." Bruce rushed towards me and dragged my seat from Ravenna's bleeding body. I thought that she was going to pass out or die from the impact but she was still very much living and breathing but at least, my anger had calmed down a bit."Just when I think to myself, that okay. It's time to stop. You give me another news to feed to the media." Ravenna winced, holding the side of he chair in pain."You daughter of a bitch. Who told you that you could take shit about me anytime, anywhere and won't face the consequences?" I questioned with hands akimbo as Bruce typed away at his phone. This whole situation was infuriating me and for some reasons, I wished that Ethan was here to witness this.We heard footsteps from down below and it turned out to be Ethan who was actually coming out of his apartment and as he got to where he was standing, he just shrugged and sighed."Now that is cold." He simply said and walked off and I wondered when the man I knew beca
REINA'S POV With my head held up high and my shoulders poised, confidence on a maximum level, I walked into the conference hall determined to defend myself in every way possible. I was going to do my utmost best and not be intimidated.I pushed the conference door open and stepped inside, surveying their faces when someone ushered me to a seat just nearby by Ethan making my skin crawl but I couldn't show any signs of discomfort.I masked it all up with a smile and sat down after greeting the entire members of the board."Good day everyone." I greeted and they answered in unison before I take my seat."Good morning everyone." Ethan took the floor immediately I saw down, his voice drilling with hoarseness and authority. A fucking lunatic that I detest."This morning, there was a lot of drama surrounding me that could have totally affected the company growth if it isn't curved." Seriously? He is going to be the one to talk about how I bashed Ravenna's head against the wall here? Then i
EthanI could not sit still. Not after everything that has been happening.My fingers drummed against the edge of the hotel desk as my eyes looked towards the door for the hundredth time. I had double-checked the lock, slid the chain in place, and even propped a chair under the handle. But it was not enough. Not when I knew someone was following me.All these things felt like deja vu because something like this has happened to me before I moved to the country my family is in. Why was all these messing up with my life? “They have been watching us. There are cameras in the house.” I remembered Reina's words. And now this being tailed by a black car, the creeping feeling that every step I took was being tracked. I ran my hands through my hair and each strand was damp with sweat. I felt trapped and powerless, and it was eating me alive.My phone buzzed on the desk. I snatched it up, my heart pounding, hoping it was Reina. It was not.It was Carl. He never backed down even when I told
Reina I was scared to death, unaware of what to do. Ethan had been yelling at me that I should call the cops. “Call the cops now! Reina!” I wish I could. My hands were shaking and I could not dial the number correctly. When I was able to call the cops, the line operator answered and I heard a faint knock at the back door. My breath caught in my throat.“Reina?” Ethan’s voice came in again. I knew he heard the noise. “They are at the back door,” I whispered with tears streaming down my face. I could not believe that I would be crying this minute. See what we have gotten ourselves into. “Get out of there,” he said. “Now.”“I can’t. It's not that easy,” I said, my voice barely audible.“Then hide,” he said. “Go somewhere safe and stay there until the police arrive. I’m on my way, Reina. I promise.”On your way? Oh, Ethan. I know that you haven't booked a flight yet even though you pleaded with me that you will book the next available flight. I hung up and bolted toward the pantr
ReinaThe house has always been this quiet in the past few days. The kind of quiet that made every creak of the floorboards and every faint rustle outside feel like something heavy. I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the unknown number on my phone screen. My hands were trembling as I read the message again.“You’re in over your head, Mrs. Reina. Tell your husband to back off and leave Japan or you will both regret it.I had seen my fair share of threats in my career. The angry competitors, disgruntled clients, jealous rivals but this was different and more dangerous. I knew Ethan was in danger. I knew I was in danger. But what chilled me to the bone was the realization that whoever sent this message didn’t just know about us, they were watching us. They had their eyes on us. I felt like I was suffocating, the walls of the house closing in around me. I needed air. I needed to breathe. I ran outside so that I wouldn't faint and the cool night breeze kept on hitting my face as I
ReinaThe sun was just beginning to set when I heard the sharp knock on the door. It was unusual. I wasn’t expecting anyone.I froze, my mind immediately flashing back to Leonard’s warnings and Detective Daniels’ advice to stay vigilant. For a moment, I considered not answering, but the knock came again, louder this time.“Reina, it’s me,” a familiar voice called out.Leonard.My stomach churned as I tiptoed to the peephole. Sure enough, there he was, standing in a crisp black suit, his expression unreadable.I opened the door just enough to see him. “What are you doing here?” I asked sharply.“We need to talk,” Leonard said, his voice calm but urgent.“We have nothing to talk about,” I replied, starting to close the door.He pushed it open slightly, his hand on the frame. “Please, Reina. This is important. It’s about Ethan.”That made me pause. I didn’t trust Leonard as far as I could throw him, but the mention of Ethan pulled at my resolve. Reluctantly, I stepped aside and let him i
EthanI stood by the window in my hotel room, staring at the city lights shining brightly against the night sky.The streets below were alive with honking cars and I could hear laughter, and the distant thrum of music right here in my room. Yet inside this room, the silence I felt indifferent. I felt something that I could not quite shake off. The events of the last two days replayed in my mind like a broken record. The redhead, the alcohol, the shame. And Carl, my so-called friend who had managed to vanish when I needed him most.I clenched my fists, anger bubbling under the surface. “You are an idiot, Ethan,” I muttered to myself. “An absolute idiot.”My phone buzzed on the bedside table, snapping me out of my thoughts. I reached for it, half-expecting Reina’s name to light up the screen. But it wasn’t her.It was Carl. “Come on dude. Let me be.”I hated the way I was dwelling on all of these. I had work to do and I haven't been able to do anything yet. For a moment, I conside
ReinaThe dinner with Leonard didn't go as expected. As usual, he was cutting through corners. If he knew that I had submitted his name to the cops, maybe he would have given me more information. I was left to rack my brain over this. This was something that was meant to be the detectives work but I have not gotten any report from them. I wanted to call them to ask if they are making any progress but I guess I should just wait for some time. I sat at my desk, staring at my computer screen. The article I had been reading earlier blurred before my eyes. Leonard's words from the night before were still looping in my head. How would I get him to tell me all I need to know?Ethan was in Japan and some unknown people see plotting to kill him. Getting anything from Leonard seemed impossible especially when I knew that he was more interested in my body. But, I can't give in him or anyone. I was w married woman and I had a child. "They see Ethan as a threat,” I repeated as I thought alou
EthanThe cold shower did little to wash away the guilt clinging to my skin. I stood there, water pouring over me, hoping the icy sting would calm the storm in my chest. But it didn’t.I was haunted by memories and all I could see and hear and feel were The redhead’s laughter, her touch, the softness of her lips. it all kept on haunting leaving a relentless echo in my mind.“You are a fool, Ethan,” I muttered, slamming my fist against the tiled wall. “A bloody fool. How could you do such a thing?”I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel. My reflection in the fogged-up mirror stared back at me. I looked like a total stranger. A stranger with bloodshot eyes and a fucked up face. This was not me. This was not the man I promised Reina I would be.Reina. My sweet wife. Her face swam before my eyes and I could still see her bright smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. What would she think of me now? Would she even look at me the same way if she knew what
ReinaThe clock on my desk kept ticking loudly and I wondered if it was because I was paying attention to even the little things that I was able to hear it. On a normal day, I would care less about a clock. The sound of the clock was made louder by the silence that engulfed the house. At first, I was sketching a few designs that I was going to put up for sale in the online market but my attention became divided when I remembered that there was something I had to do quickly. tapped my pen against the edge of my notebook, staring at the half-written page in front of me. Research on Leonard had consumed my thoughts for the past two days, but the deeper I dug, the murkier things became.Something about him didn’t sit right with me.I sighed, pushing the notebook aside and reaching for my phone. My messages with Ethan stared back at me, our recent exchange still fresh.“Hey. Busy morning. I will call you tonight. Miss you.”His words these days had been reassuring, but something felt of
EthanI woke up to the sound of a door closing softly, followed by the faint click of heels on the floor. My head throbbed, pounding restlessly that made even the dim morning light coming through the curtains feel unbearable. Letting out a soft groan I tried to sit up, but the heaviness in my limbs kept me pinned to the bed.And then it hit me. I was naked. In her. By this time. I blinked, looking down to see the rumpled sheets tangled around my naked body. My stomach twisted as I began to remember what happened last night. The memories kept flooding back and I could not move. Her red hair glowed under the blue lights. Her laughter. Her hands. Her lips.Oh, my God! What have I done?The door clicked shut, and I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of her fiery hair as she disappeared down the hallway. She didn’t say goodbye. She didn’t even look back.I sat up quickly, clutching the sheets as if they could shield and protect me from the shame threatening to consume me. My cl