Beneath the surface

Chapter 10: Shattered Trust

The evening air was thick with tension as Ethan paced his dimly lit apartment, his mind racing with the shocking revelation he had just received. Thanks to a friend from his network, he had learned the unthinkable: it was Olivia who had been feeding information to the police. The weight of betrayal crashed down on him, leaving him feeling cold and hollow.

His heart ached as memories of their time together flashed through his mind-the laughter, the tenderness, the promises of a future. But now, those moments felt tainted, overshadowed by the betrayal that had cut him to the core. He had been blinded by love, unable to see the truth lurking beneath the surface.

Determined to confront her, Ethan stormed out of his apartment, his fists clenched at his sides. Each step felt heavy, laden with pain and disappointment. He arrived at Olivia's place, his heart pounding with a mixture of anger and heartache.

When Olivia opened the door, her face lit up with a smile that quickly faded upon seeing his expression. "Ethan," she began, but he cut her off.

"Don't," he snapped, his voice cold and sharp. "I know everything."

Her eyes widened, and he could see the emotions flickering across her face-surprise, fear, and something that resembled guilt. "Ethan, please let me explain," she pleaded, stepping forward.

"Explain?" he echoed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How you've been lying to me this whole time? How you sold me out to the police?"

"I wasn't trying to betray you!" she insisted, her voice trembling. "I wanted to protect you! You have to understand that I was in a position where I had to choose."

"Choose?" he shot back, feeling his anger rise. "You chose them over me, Olivia! How can you expect me to trust you after this?"

"I love you, Ethan," she said, her eyes pleading with him. "I was trying to save you from a fate worse than prison. I thought if I could gather information, I could help you find a way out of this mess."

Her confession hung in the air, and despite his anger, a part of him ached at her words. Deep down, he knew that he also loved her-his heart told him so-but the hurt was too fresh, too raw. He struggled to keep his emotions at bay, unwilling to let her see how deeply she had affected him.

"You think saying you love me makes it all better?" he spat, his voice breaking. "You put me in danger. You put yourself in danger! I can't believe I ever trusted you."

Olivia took a step back, her expression shifting from desperation to resignation. "Ethan, I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing. Please, just let me explain."

He shook his head, the pain evident in his eyes. "No, Olivia. I don't want to hear it. I can't be with someone who doesn't have my back."

Her face fell, and for a moment, the silence between them was deafening. "So that's it? You're just going to throw everything away?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"I don't know what else to do," he said, the coldness in his voice betraying the turmoil inside him.

With a heavy heart, Olivia turned away, her shoulders trembling as she fought back tears. "I can't stay here and watch you hate me. I need to go."

Ethan watched helplessly as she gathered her things, each movement deliberate, as if she were preparing to leave a part of herself behind. "Olivia, don't," he said, desperation creeping into his voice.

But she wouldn't look at him. "I thought we had something real, Ethan. I wanted to build a future with you. But now... I don't know what to believe anymore."

"I still care about you," he admitted, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "But right now, I can't do this."

"I wish things were different," she said, her voice a mere whisper. "But I can't be with you if you don't trust me."

With that, she turned and walked out the door, leaving Ethan standing in the doorway.