Hidden Scars

Chapter 9: The Sinister Obsession

Lydia's cold smile lingered as she stepped back, allowing Ethan and Avalyn to leave the warehouse. "Consider this your final warning," she said, her voice dripping with menace. "Stay out of my way, or you'll regret it."

Ethan and Avalyn exchanged a tense glance before turning to leave. The air outside felt heavy with the weight of Lydia's threats. As they walked to the car, Avalyn's worry was palpable.

"Ethan, I think we might have stepped into something far more dangerous than we realized," Avalyn said, her voice trembling. "Maybe we should just leave this alone."

Ethan shook his head, his determination unwavering. "No, Avalyn. We can't let Lydia get away with this. She needs to be held accountable for what she's done."

Avalyn sighed, her concern deepening. "But what about Claire and your company? If Lydia spreads more rumours, it could destroy everything you've built. And Claire's father... he's already threatening to ruin you if you don't go through with the wedding."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "I know the risks, but I can't let fear dictate my actions. Lydia has to be stopped, and we need to clear our names. I won't let her or anyone else control my life."

Avalyn looked at Ethan, her eyes filled with worry. "I just don't want to see you lose everything, Ethan. You've worked so hard to rebuild your life and your company."

Ethan reached out and took Avalyn's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I appreciate your concern, Avalyn. But this is something I have to do. For both of us. We can't let Lydia's threats scare us into silence."

Ethan drove Avalyn back to her house, his mind still racing with the events of the day. As they pulled up to her driveway, he turned to her, his expression serious. "Avalyn, be safe and stay alert. We have eyes on our backs now. If anything feels off, call me immediately."

Avalyn nodded, her worry evident. "I will, Ethan. You be careful too."

Ethan gave her a reassuring smile. "I will. We'll get through this together."

After making sure Avalyn was safely inside, Ethan drove off to his mansion. The drive gave him a moment to collect his thoughts, but the tension in his chest remained. As he parked his luxurious car in front of the mansion and walked to the door, he was shocked to see Claire inside as he opened it.

Claire greeted him with an overly bright smile, her demeanour unusually cheerful. "Ethan! You're home early. I made us dinner."

Ethan's eyes narrowed with suspicion. Claire's sudden change in behaviour felt off, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. "Claire, what are you doing here?"

Claire's smile didn't falter. "I thought it would be nice to spend some time together. I know things have been tense lately, and I wanted to make it up to you."

Ethan's agitation grew as he followed her into the dining room, where a lavish dinner was set up. The sight of Claire's pretentious and fake niceness only made him more annoyed. "Claire, this isn't necessary. You don't have to do this."

Claire's eyes sparkled with a forced sweetness. "But I want to, Ethan. We need to reconnect and work through our issues. Let's just enjoy dinner together."

Ethan's patience wore thin, and he finally set down his fork, his eyes locking onto Claire's. "Claire, what's really going on? Why are you doing this?"

Claire's smile faltered for a moment before she quickly recovered. "I just want us to be happy, Ethan. I want us to work things out."

Ethan's frustration boiled over. "This isn't how we fix things, Claire. Pretending everything is fine won't solve our problems."

Claire's eyes flashed with a mix of desperation and anger. "Why can't you just appreciate what I'm trying to do? I'm trying to save our relationship!"

Ethan stood up, his voice rising with anger. "Save our relationship? You were spying on me earlier at the café, and now you're acting all nice and sweet? This behaviour is weird and crazy, Claire!"

Claire's face twisted with a mix of hurt and fury. "I was just trying to make sure you weren't doing anything you shouldn't be! I care about us, Ethan!"

Ethan's voice grew stern and firm. "This isn't about caring, Claire. This is about control and obsession. Our relationship isn't going to work out. You need to accept that."

Claire's eyes filled with tears of rage and desperation. "No, Ethan! I won't accept it! We belong together, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep us together!"

Ethan's heart pounded with a mix of fear and frustration. "Claire, you need to let go. This isn't healthy for either of us."

But Claire was beyond reason. Her eyes blazed with a manic intensity. "If I can't have you, no one will! I'll make sure of it!"

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine at her words. "Claire, you need help. This isn't the way to handle things."

Claire's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You think you can just walk away from me and be with Avalyn? I'll make sure she pays for trying to take you away from me."

Ethan knew he had to protect Avalyn and himself from Claire's escalating madness. "This is over, Claire. I'm done. You need to accept that."

Claire's face hardened, her jealousy turning into a dangerous resolve. "You'll regret this, Ethan. I'll make sure of it."

Ethan's patience had reached its limit. He turned to Claire, his voice cold and stern. "Claire, you need to leave. Get out of my mansion and go back to your own house tonight."

Claire's eyes widened with shock and anger, but Ethan didn't wait for her reaction. He stormed out of the mansion, needing to clear his thoughts. He got into his car and drove aimlessly for a while, the cool night air doing little to calm his racing mind.

After a few rounds on the road, Ethan found himself heading towards Avalyn's house. He needed comfort, someone who understood him and the turmoil he was going through. As he pulled up to Avalyn's driveway, he felt a sense of relief wash over him.