Maybe

Chapter 41 Black Coffee

The doorbell rang, cutting through the silence of the house. I heard my mother's footsteps as she hurried to open the door.

When the door creaked open, I saw her face go pale. She froze, staring at both of us, drenched to the bone from the pouring rain. Her eyes flickered between me and Ethan, clearly confused.

I couldn't blame her. I must've looked like I'd just been dragged through a storm, while Ethan stood there looking effortlessly handsome, a few strand of hair falling across his forehead, his coat hanging loosely over his arm.

He looked like a stranger who had just dropped in to return something that wasn't his.

Ethan pushed me lightly from behind, and I stumbled forward into the house, water splashing off me with each step. I shot him a glare as I entered, but he just casually greeted my mom, his voice smooth, "I've come to return your lost daughter."

My mom didn't speak at first, still processing what she was seeing. I could feel her confusion and concern, but Ethan acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Like he wasn't the same person who had been haunting my thoughts, making everything more complicated than it should be.

Then, I heard him talking with mom. At first, I doubted it was about me but I realised they were about something else- some business I never paid attention to.

Without saying much more, I turned and hurried to the bathroom, needing to get away from both of them. I stripped off the wet clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash away the discomfort and the coldness. Once I was done, I changed into a comfortable outfit, feeling more like myself.

I walked out of the bathroom, my hair still damp, and grabbed a towel to dry it off as I made my way to the living room.

To my surprise, Ethan was already there, sitting on the couch, his clothes changed as well. But his hair was still wet, dripping onto his shirt, making it cling to his body. He was staring at some files in front of him, looking as casual as ever, like nothing was wrong.

When he saw me, he looked up, his gaze unreadable. "Your mom went out for some business," he said with a shrug, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Typical mom, I thought, feeling a little annoyed. She was always busy with something.

I walked over to him, my frustration bubbling up. Without saying a word, I threw the towel at him. It landed perfectly at his face. I Couldn't help but smirk.

"Wipe yourself properly," I said sharply.

For a moment, he didn't say anything, then just smirked. I couldn't tell if he was amused by my tone or just finding the situation funny. But he didn't argue. He just shrugged, a little chuckle escaping his lips as he began to dry his hair.

Ethan glanced up at me, his wet hair falling back into place as he met my gaze. "You really don't like me, do you?" he asked, his voice quieter now, but still holding that playful edge.

I didn't answer. Instead, I walked past him, heading toward the kitchen.

It was better to keep my distance-especially now that things had become so complicated.

From the living room, Ethan's voice drifted to me, calm and collected as always. "Just black coffee," he called out, as if everything between us were normal, as if the tension in the air didn't exist.

I clenched the glass in my hand, the pressure building with the urge to throw it. I'd rather throw him a cup of black coal. But I didn't act on it. I breathed deeply, trying to stay composed.

With a calmness I didn't feel, I brewed his black coffee, my fingers working mechanically.

I couldn't help but make myself a cup of hot coffee too, needing something warm to settle the gnawing feeling inside me.