Shattered Hearts

(⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴗ⁠ꈍ⁠)

Chapter 27:

The morning sun peeked through the curtains, painting the room in a soft golden hue. Ethan stirred from his sleep, his hand reaching out to find me beside him, but the bed was empty. Confusion clouded his mind for a moment before he noticed the crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor.

Picking it up, Ethan unfolded the paper and read the hastily scrawled message. His heart sank as he realized that I had gone to meet Josh without him knowing. Anger and worry gnawed at him as he hastily got dressed and rushed out to the balcony, where he saw me sitting alone by the pool.

"Lizz!" Ethan called out, his voice tinged with concern as he hurried over to me. "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

I looked up, startled by his sudden appearance, my eyes filled with tears as I struggled to compose myself. "Ethan, I..." I began, my voice trembling with emotion. "I had to come. Josh left me a message, and I had to see what he wanted."

Ethan's expression darkened at the mention of Josh's name, his jaw clenched with barely suppressed anger. "You went to meet him alone?" he asked, his voice low and tense. "After everything that happened?"

I nodded, tears streaming down my cheeks as I recounted the events of the previous night. Ethan listened in silence, his fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to contain his rage.

When I finished speaking, there was a heavy silence between us, punctuated only by the sound of our ragged breathing and the distant chirping of birds. Ethan's mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions, each more turbulent than the last.

"Lizz, I..." he began, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I can't believe you would put yourself in danger like that. After what Josh did to you, after the pain he caused..."

I reached out to touch his arm, my voice trembling as I spoke. "Ethan, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just... I needed to know what he wanted."

Ethan's anger softened at the sight of my tears, replaced by a deep sense of concern and protectiveness. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a comforting embrace.

"I know, Lizz," he murmured against my hair. "I understand. But please, promise me you won't do something like this again. Promise me you'll come to me if you ever feel scared or unsure."

I nodded, burying my face in his chest as I clung to him, grateful for his unwavering support. "I promise," I whispered, feeling a sense of relief wash over me like a gentle wave.

Just as Ethan and I held each other close, finding solace in our embrace, a sudden knock echoed through the room, shattering the tranquility of the moment. We both turned towards the door, startled by the unexpected interruption.

Ethan furrowed his brow, his expression shifting from concern to curiosity. "Who could that be?" he muttered, rising from his seat beside me and making his way to the door.

I watched with a sense of unease as Ethan opened the door, revealing a waiter standing on the other side, a silver tray in his hands. The waiter's expression was solemn, his eyes avoiding mine as he addressed Ethan.

"Excuse me, sir," the waiter said, his voice low and respectful. "I have a message for the lady."

Ethan glanced back at me, his brow furrowing with confusion. "A message?" he repeated, stepping aside to allow the waiter to enter the room.