All Chapters of Bouquet Of Deception : Chapter 71 - Chapter 79

71 RileyI didn’t realize I had moved until my feet were following them, trailing just behind Ella and Ron as they walked stiffly toward the doctor. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, drowning out the beeping of monitors and the distant murmur of nurses’ voices. The air smelled of antiseptic and something metallic—blood, maybe. Ethan’s blood.Ella was shaking. Her hands were clenched together so tightly her knuckles were bone-white. Her breaths were uneven, quick and shallow, like she was trying to stop herself from breaking apart.Ron, on the other hand, was too still. His jaw was locked, his breathing harsh and uneven. His fury had momentarily cooled, but I could still feel it radiating off him in waves. He didn’t want me here.But I couldn’t leave.Not when Ethan was still behind those doors. Not when I still didn’t know if I had already lost him.The doctor led us down a sterile hallway, his white coat swishing slightly as he walked. His silence made my stomach twist with dread.

73 RileyI don’t know how long I stood there, staring at the door. Time had lost all meaning. The sterile scent of the hospital, the steady hum of machines, the distant murmur of doctors and nurses—it all blurred together, a numbing backdrop to the chaos inside my head.I should go back in. I should sit by his side and refuse to move until he woke up. But Ron’s words echoed in my mind, sharp and unforgiving.“This is your fault.”I pressed my hands against my temples, trying to block out the guilt clawing at my insides. Maybe if I had done things differently—if I had just let Ethan in instead of pushing him away—he wouldn’t have been in that car. Maybe he wouldn’t have been lying in that hospital bed, slipping further away with every second.A soft voice broke through my thoughts.“Riley?”I turned to see Ella standing in the doorway, her face blotchy from crying, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion. She looked small, fragile, like she could collapse at any moment.“He’s the same,” she m

75 RileyI don’t even remember how I got back home.One minute, I was in the hospital, sitting beside Ethan, begging him to wake up. The next, I was standing in front of my apartment door, my whole body numb.I turned my head, and there it was—Ethan’s apartment.The door was closed, just like always. His name still on the small metal plate next to the number. Everything looked the same. But it wasn’t.He wasn’t inside, making his stupid protein shakes that smelled awful. He wasn’t blasting music way too early in the morning. He wasn’t there to throw open his door, grinning at me like I was the best part of his day.I choked on a sob.Fuck.Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled forward, pressing my hand against his door like maybe—maybe—I could feel something. Some warmth. Some trace of him.I felt nothing but cold wood.I hated this. I hated how weak I felt.I hated that I was crying.Had I become a girl now? Some pathetic, lovesick idiot who only realized what she wanted when it was

66 59 Ethan I left the kitchen before Riley could see just how much his words affected me. I shouldn’t care that he was still here. I shouldn’t want him to stay. But I did. I stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind me with a deep breath. Focus, Ethan. I needed to get my head straight before work, not stand around analyzing every little thing Riley said or did. I turned on the shower, stepping under the hot spray with a sigh. The warmth eased some of the soreness in my muscles, but it did nothing to clear my mind. I kept thinking about him. About last night. About the way he touched me—like he wasn’t just claiming my body but something more. I shook my head, pushing the thought away. Riley wasn’t like that. This was nothing. Just a one-time thing. Even if he had stayed. Even if he was making pancakes in my kitchen. Even if— I groaned, tilting my head back under the water. I was losing it. After washing up, I turned off the shower and wrapped

35 Riley Ethan was avoiding me. Not obviously—not in a way that anyone else would notice—but I knew. He was quieter than usual. Fidgety. Kept his eyes on the TV but wasn’t actually watching. His fingers tapped against his knee like his thoughts were running too fast, like he couldn’t settle. And most importantly? He wasn’t looking at me. Not really. Which was funny, considering how, just minutes ago, he’d been pulling me down on top of him like he wanted me to ruin him. I smirked at the thought, shifting on the couch, letting my arm drape over the back of it—casual, easy. Ethan didn’t move away, but he didn’t lean into it, either. Interesting. “You’re thinking too much again,” I murmured, voice low. He tensed, a flicker of something crossing his face. “Am not.” I chuckled. “Liar.” That got me a glare, but it was half-hearted at best. His lips parted like he wanted to say something else, but then he stopped himself, shaking his head and focusing back on the screen. Right. T