I caress Aiden's hair, my mind swirling with thoughts of Ethan. How am I going to tell Aiden about him? Just then, my phone starts ringing, pulling me back to reality. “Aiden, excuse me!” Standing up from the sofa, I place Aiden's head on the sofa gently, and make my way to his balcony to find privacy to pick up the call. “Hello,” I say, picking up the call without glancing at the phone screen. “Hey…Belle, it's Max,” the manly voice comes from the other side. My lips spread in a wide grin. Max is Emily's boyfriend and my good friend—a well wisher to me. He is the only guy who didn't propose to me even after being friends with me, because he loves Emily. Maybe that's why I have faith in him. “How are you?” I ask, my voice softens. “I'm good. Actually, I wanted to ask you about Emily. She's not responding to my calls and messages for a few days,” he retorts, his voice sounding tense. “But wasn't she with you last night?” I ask, my mind swirling with thoughts of Emily's depart
Before going to the dorm room, I think of going to the library before it gets closed. I tug a book from the bookshelf. My eyes land on Ethan, standing on the other side of the bookshelf. Our eyes meet as he glances down into my eyes. Talking to Aiden about any other guy is as if jumping into a burning fire. Should I talk to Ethan instead of talking to Aiden about it? Should I tell Ethan that my boyfriend is none other but his own best friend. Maybe he'll comprehend. “Mr. Wilson, can we have a talk?” His lips curl into a smile. “I'm dying to have a talk with you anyway.” He comes towards me from the other side of the bookshelf. “Please talk,” he says, his smile showing his excitement to talk to me. I look straight into his eyes. My pulse quickens and stomach grumbles as I utter, “You want to know who my boyfriend is. Right?” He nods his head. “So, if I tell you who my boyfriend is, what will you do then?” I cock my brows. He smirks and steps closer to me. “I'll beat him to
“Belle…” Ethan's voice passes through my ears. Why am I hearing that? I open my eyes swiftly and witness him hovering over me. He is flashing a bitter smirk. My brows furrow envisioning him here in my room, on my bed, above me. A cold shiver runs through my body. “Why are you here?” I ask, my voice a mix of astonishment and terror. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, a tingling sensation running through my nerves, anticipating the next outcome. He's dangerously close to me. “To make love with you,” he says, cutting to the chase. His voice is playful and warm. Wait! What? Why? I don't want to make love with anyone. Is he serious? He begins to undress me, his movements slow and steady. He removes everything from my body. I've thrown caution to the wind. Why am I not resisting him? What has happened to me? Am I an idiot? Do something, Belle. At last when he throws my bra away, he starts licking my tender nipples. My pulse quickens, my heart throbbing in my ches
In class, Ethan and I are catching each other's glances from time to time. He might be perceiving that I'm going to accept his proposal now. His face is telling that, but he has no idea what I am about to do. After school, I take a shower in a hurry, and look for something decent and elegant to wear. I wear a midi flowy dark emerald green dress with long sleeves, pairing it with elegant leather pumps, high quality jewelry, gold necklace, stud earrings, and my all time favorite—Chanel bag. And about my hair, I don't tie it. I always keep my hair in the middle partition. That works for me. “Hey! Are you going on a date?” Emily's sudden arrival in the room catches my attention. “No. I'm just going to meet Ethan casually,” I retort without even glancing at her as I apply my eyeliner with concentration. “Casually…Is it your casual Belle?” she asks, her voice sounding full of astonishment. I cap my eyeliner and avert my gaze to her. “What do you mean?” She glances my body up to
“Belle…” Max's voice catches me guard off. I glance up into his eyes and flash a warm smile. “Hi! Take a seat,” I insist, as I recall that I have to talk to him about Emily's patch up with Jason. My feet are getting cold now. He takes a seat in front of me, where Ethan was sitting a few minutes ago. “What are you doing here? Date?” he asks, his brows furrow swiftly. I chuckle and shake my head. “No. I was just here to meet someone. Not a date. My boyfriend is not in the right state of condition to go on a date. He bumped into an accident,” I explain, gasping the air out of my mouth. “Oh, I see,” he says, nodding his head. I need to tell him about Emily. I'm feeling nervous now. How do I hit the nail on the head? I decided to bite the bullet and cut to the chase. “Max. I want to talk to you about something. About Emily,” I say, feeling a pit in my stomach. “Yeah, I also want to talk about her. Neither she attends my calls nor replies to my texts. What has happened to her?”
As I reach inside my dorm room, I sit hopelessly on my bed. To be honest, my mind is still swirling with Max's words. If there is even a little truth in what he said, then I am feeling scared now. How will my relationship with Aiden be in future? Will we separate or will we end up together in the end? I don't know if I love him or not. I will end up with Aiden. No matter what happens. “Belle, you are here. How was the meeting with Ethan?” Emily's voice pulls me back to the present. “Not good,” I reply, without even glancing at her, my head aching because of crying earlier. “Why? And by the way, why did you even go to meet him? You said you have no interest in Ethan.” I gasp and glance up into her eyes. “I went to meet him, because I wanted to give him a check, a one million dollar check.” Her eyes pop out from its sockets. “One. Million. Dollar. Check. Why?” she blurts out. “I thought after seeing the amount on the check, he'll leave me alone.” All of a sudden, she starts
Because of Ethan, I neither feel like eating nor doing anything. My phone starts buzzing, showing Aiden's caller ID. I don't pick his calls and place my phone aside. If he hears my voice, he'll comprehend that I'm not okay. But if I don't pick up his calls, he'll get angry. So, I take the phone and pick up the call. “Hello…Aiden,” I murmur, my voice barely audible. “Belle, what happened? Are you crying?” he asks instantly. “Is a guy troubling you? Did a guy touch you? Tell me. I'll beat the person. I'm here to protect you. You don't need to cry about anything. Just tell me what happened?” “I'm okay. No one touched me. Don't worry. I could beat a guy on my own if anyone would have touched me,” I inform and gasp. “I'm just not feeling well. I'll talk to you later. Bye.” I end the call and cover my body with a blanket, tears still shedding from my eyes one by one, the weight of loneliness pressing down on my chest. My head throbs from crying so much. Overall, I'm just a mess. Max
Flabbergasted by witnessing Ethan here, I don't even stand up to greet him and stay like that. My father approaches him and they both shake their hands greeting each other. Ethan averts his gaze to me and again to my father then; as they both sit on the sofas my mother walks inside the room. I am stunned. Don't know if I should stand and go, or stay here and listen to their talks. “How's the business going on?” my father asks him. "Everything is well, Mr. Dubois! Nice to meet you. Heard a lot about your hotels…sounds impressive,” Ethan says. "How do you think we can team up?" "Well, imagine this: we throw awesome events at your resorts, mixing live shows with the vacation vibe. It could be a hit, don't you think?" Ethan cocks his brows. "Hmm, I like the sound of that. But how do we make sure everything runs smoothly, with all the moving parts?" "No worries, we've got a skilled team for that. We'll work closely with your folks to make sure every detail fits the vibe of your pl
The next day, overwhelmed by the realization that the boy from Corsica is actually Ethan, I decide to leave Sofia. I head to Corsica, hoping to relive the feelings and memories from my childhood, to see if they can help me understand the emotions that have been haunting me.The waves gently lap at the shore as I sit alone on the familiar sand of Ajaccio Beach, the place where our story began. The sun is setting, casting the sky in a warm, orange glow, but all I can feel is the cold emptiness in my heart, all I feel is the heavy weight of unanswered questions pressing down on me.I close my eyes, and in my mind, I can see Ethan sitting beside me, just like we used to. I lean my head on his shoulder, feeling the familiar comfort of his presence, even if it’s only in my imagination.“Why, Ethan?” I whisper, my voice trembling with the ache in my heart. “Why did you leave me waiting all these years? Why didn’t you come back for me?”Tears spill over, sliding down my cheeks as I continue,
I fold the letter and slip it into an envelope, carefully writing ‘A Letter I'll Never Give to Ethan’ on the front. I place the envelope in the book Beauty and the Beast, alongside the first rose Ethan gave me, the one I have pressed between the pages. With a deep sigh, I shut the book, trying to push away the lingering sadness.Just then, my phone rings. I answer, and my heart skips a beat when I hear it's a modeling contract offer.“Hello, Belle?” a voice on the other end says. “We’re thrilled to inform you that your first major modeling contract has been finalized. You’ll be featured on a billboard in Paris.”My eyes widen in disbelief. Paris—the city where fashion dreams come true—is where my face will be showcased. The excitement and pride swell inside me as I thank the caller and hang up, my mind racing with the reality of this incredible milestone.As soon as I hang up, tears well up in my eyes. This is my first major contract, a clear sign that my hard work is paying off. Over
Ethan looks more grown-up now. If I'm twenty, he might be twenty one, I guess. He looks more like a man than the teenage boy I remember. He still has that same cold, intense look in his dark brown eyes and his jaw remains tight, just like before. But now, these expressions are framed by a more mature face. Seeing Ethan taking slow, deliberate steps toward me, my heart begins to pound so hard that I can hear it echoing in my ears. Everything around us fades away, leaving just the two of us, lost in each other’s gaze. I can’t move, can’t think—only feel the magnetic pull between us growing stronger with each step he takes. “Are you really here?” I whisper, as he finally reaches me, my voice trembling with disbelief.“Yes, I’m here,” he replies softly, his eyes shimmering with tears.Tears brim in my eyes as I lock my eyes with his. “I don't believe it,” I mumble. Seeing him here now feels like a dream I don’t want to wake up from. “I'm imagining you.”It has been two years since we sa
It has been two years since I left New York City and Ethan behind. Now, at twenty, my life has changed dramatically. I’m thriving as a model, spending long days and nights on my modeling career. Photoshoots, fashion shows, and casting calls fill my calendar, leaving little room for anything else. When I'm not modeling, I'm handling my father's hotels and resorts businesses, trying to prove myself in a world that demands so much. It feels amazing, earning money by myself at this young age. In the whirlwind of responsibilities and ambitions, I've almost forgotten about love. Due to my busy schedule, I've completely let go of the idea of relationships and dating now. Two years have passed, and my shoulder-length hair—that had once been trimmed by Aiden—now falls comfortably to my mid-back. While it’s not as long as it was before, it has grown out beautifully, mirroring the changes and growth in my own life.I had been taking my medications and therapy sessions for schizophrenia as well,
The journey back to Sofia feels like a blur. I sit in the private jet with my father, staring out the window but seeing nothing. My mind is consumed with thoughts of Ethan, the pain of our separation pricking my heart. Once we land, I retreat into the familiarity of our mansion, but it offers no comfort. Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, yet the ache remains. I isolate myself, shutting out the world and everyone in it. My parents are frustrated with my demeanor, especially my mother, who doesn’t understand why I’ve stopped caring about everything I once loved.In the solitude of my room, time seems to stretch endlessly. I spend hours staring out the window, feeling no shift in my own heart. The walls of my room, once comforting, now feel like a cage. Every object, every corner, reminds me of Ethan, of what we had, and what I’ve lost. And Ethan's hallucinations make it even harder to forget about him. “Belle, you need to get out of this house,” my mother snaps one day from
As graduation day approaches, the excitement that usually accompanies the end of high school is overshadowed by a deep sense of melancholy. I’ve spent the past few days packing up my belongings, preparing to leave the dorm that has been my home for these formative years. Every item I pack feels like a piece of my past being sealed away, and the act of boxing up my life brings an unexpected weight to my chest.The day arrives with its usual pomp and ceremony. The campus is filled with graduates in their caps and gowns, the air buzzing with a mix of excitement and nostalgia. The graduation ceremony itself is a blur of speeches and applause. I’m called up to receive my diploma, a moment that should have been filled with pride and joy. Instead, it’s tinged with sadness, as I feel the weight of everything that has happened. The graduation ceremony is also the final chance to see everyone before we all go our separate ways. Friends and acquaintances gather for one last hurrah. The atmosphe
I push open the heavy wooden doors of the church, the familiar creak echoing softly through the quiet space. I walk down the aisle, my footsteps muted by the worn carpet, and make my way to my usual spot—a solitary pew in the corner.The church is dimly lit, shimmering with a soft glow from the candles flickering by the altar. I sit down, feeling the weight of my heart pressing heavily on my chest. I bow my head, folding my hands in my lap, and let out a shuddering breath."God, it’s me again," I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. "I’m not sure how to start this conversation. I don’t even know where to begin."I close my eyes, trying to steady my racing thoughts. Ethan’s face flashes in my mind, and my tears begin to fall, tracing hot lines down my cheeks."I don’t understand why things had to end this way. I wanted so much more. I thought we had a chance, a real chance to be happy together."I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me."He said he loved me, but I
Ethan comes running behind me, asking me to stop for a second. As I keep on walking on the road, my vision blurs by the car headlights. I'm too lost in my thoughts to notice the car speeding towards me. Suddenly, I feel a strong hand grab my arm, pulling me back just in time."Belle, what the hell are you doing?" Ethan yells, his voice filled with panic and anger.I can hardly breathe, my heart pounding from the close call. I look up at him, and his eyes are filled with a mixture of relief and fury. My mind feels like it’s spinning, and I can’t tell what’s real or just a trick of my mind. Everything around me seems to blur, and I feel disconnected from my own thoughts. It’s like I’m trapped in a fog, struggling to understand what’s happening.I'm just done with my life. The schizophrenia makes it hard to define for me what's real or what's hallucination. I've literally gone mad. It would be better if I would have bumped into that car. Why did he pull me back?“Why the hell are you he
As he kisses and touches me, his hands roam possessively over my body. I gasp, feeling overwhelmed and exposed.“Ethan, it's enough,” I whisper against his lips.“No, it's not. I want more of you, sweetheart,” he whispers, his voice raw with desire. "What if someone enters and sees me like this?" I ask, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and desire. “I don't want anyone else seeing me in this semi nude form.”“You’re mine, Belle,” he murmurs, his voice low and possessive. “Every part of you is mine, and only mine. If anyone else dares to see what’s meant for me alone, I’ll make sure they regret it.”He looks at me with a fierce, possessive glare. "If anyone dares to see you like this," he growls, his voice dripping with intensity, "I'II make that person blind. No one can dare to take a glimpse of your naked form until I'm breathing. No one means no one.”Hearing Ethan's words, my heart pounds in my chest. The intensity in his voice, the fierce protectiveness in his eyes—it sends a