chapter 3 - Unplanned Encounter

ANNA'S POV

I needed to get some air. After most of the morning dodging questions from my mother and curious glances from my father, I decided it was best to take a walk through the town. Maybe if I spend some time alone it would help clear my head and remind me of what I loved about Pine Hollow.

The town didn't really change much in the years I’d been gone. The same cobblestone streets lined with festive garlands, the same little shops decorated with twinkling Christmas lights, and the same bakery where I’d spent so many afternoons as a teenager. It was nostalgic, yet suffocating.

Unfortunately, the people here haven't changed. As I walked, I could feel their eyes on me—the silent stares from behind windows, whispers that stopped just as I turned around. They were talking about me. About the divorce. About Jack. No matter how much I tried to block it out, the murmurs snuck through.

“She’s back.”

“I heard he left her for another woman.”

“Poor thing. And with a child, too.”

My hands balled into fists. I don't need their pity or judgement. The weight of it all began to press down on me, and I turned toward the mall, hoping for some form of escape.

Inside, the holiday decorations were in full swing. A huge Christmas tree stood in the middle of the mall, surrounded by crowds of families and couples laughing and shopping for gifts. I tried to lose myself in the festive chaos, to feel invisible among the crowd of strangers.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar face. Sarah. Relief washed over me. Sarah had always been the fun, easygoing one in the family. The one who could make me laugh even on my darkest days. Seeing her here felt like a blessing, a chance to distract myself.

I moved closer, pushing through the crowd to reach her. I was about to call out her name when I froze in my tracks. My smile vanished, replaced by a sharp, gut-wrenching disbelief.

Sarah wasn’t alone. She was with someone—a man. They were standing close, her hand on his chest, his arm around her waist. At first, I couldn’t process what I was seeing. And then Sarah leaned in, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

It was Jack.

My heart dropped into my stomach. My breath caught in my throat. Jack, my ex-husband, the man who had destroyed my life, was here. With Sarah. My own cousin.

I couldn’t believe it. My mind raced, as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. How long has this been going on? How could she? My legs moved on their own, taking me closer to them. I was ready to confront them, to demand answers. I was ready to pour out my full anger

But before I could reach them, a hand grabbed my arm and yanked me backward.

“What the—” I spun around, ready to lash out, but stopped when I saw who it was. Ethan.

He pulled me into a corner, away from the crowd and out of sight of Jack and Sarah. His face was serious, his grip firm but not harsh.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, trying to pull away.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “Don’t go out there.”

I glared at him, my anger boiling over. “Let me go, Ethan. They need to hear this from me.”

“No,” he said firmly, blocking my path. “This isn’t the time or the place.”

I stared at him, unbelievably. “Not the time or place? Ethan, that’s my ex-husband of a day and my cousin! They’ve been sneaking around behind my back, and you want me to just stand here and do nothing?”

“Yes,” he said, his eyes boring into mine. “Because making a scene right now isn’t going to help anything. Trust me.”

I froze, his words sinking in. Trust him? How could I trust anyone after what I’d just seen? My hands trembled as I pointed toward the direction where Jack and Sarah had been. “Did you know? Did you know about this?”

Ethan’s jaw tightened, and he didn’t respond immediately. That silence was enough to send alarm bells ringing in my head.

“Answer me,” I demanded. “Did you know?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Anna, please—”

“How long, Ethan?” My voice cracked, but I refused to let myself cry. “How long have you known?”

His hesitation spoke volumes. “Before you married Jack.”

The air left my lungs in a rush. I stumbled backward, leaning against the wall for support. My vision blurred as his words echoed in my mind. Before I married Jack.

“You knew,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “You knew all this time, and you didn’t tell me?”

“I wanted to,” he said, his tone pleading. “But I didn’t think it was my place. I didn’t know how to—”

“Don’t,” I snapped, cutting him off. “Don’t you dare try to justify this. You knew he was cheating on me with my own cousin, and you said nothing. You let me marry him.”

“Anna, it wasn’t that simple—”

“Wasn’t it?” I pushed him away, anger and betrayal coursing through me. “You could have stopped this, Ethan. You could have stopped everything.”

He reached for me again, but I recoiled, shaking my head. “Stay away from me.”

“Anna, please,” he called after me as I turned and ran.

I didn’t stop, didn’t look back. I burst through the mall doors, the cold air hitting me like a slap to the face. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, betrayal, disbelief, and heartbreak.

I flagged down a cab and climbed inside, ignoring Ethan’s voice as he chased after me. As the car pulled away, I caught one last glimpse of him standing on the sidewalk, his hands on his hips, his face filled with regret.

I leaned back in the seat, closing my eyes as tears streamed down my cheeks. The betrayal I felt from Jack and Sarah was unbearable, but Ethan’s silence cut even deeper. He had been someone I trusted, someone I thought I could rely on.

Now, I didn’t know who to trust anymore.