Twisted Vows

chapter 3 : cracks in the foundation

Ethan couldn't shake the tension that had settled in his chest after his meeting with Olivia. No matter how much he tried to push it aside, the memories of their past and the new complexity of their current situation kept gnawing at him. Every time Samantha spoke to him, looked at him with her growing affection, he felt the weight of the secret even more.The morning after his meeting with Olivia, Ethan found himself sitting at the dining table, staring blankly at his untouched breakfast. Samantha moved about the kitchen, making coffee, humming lightly—a habit she'd developed lately. It was strange how she seemed more relaxed around him now, the distance that once defined their relationship slowly fading. But the closer they became, the more guilty he felt."You're quiet today," Samantha said, placing a mug of coffee in front of him. She raised an eyebrow in concern, her sharp gaze locking on him. "Everything okay?"Ethan forced a smile. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind."Samantha sat down across from him, sipping her coffee as she studied him. "Is it work? Or something else?" She leaned in a little, her voice lowering. "You know, you can talk to me. We're in this together, right?"Her words hit harder than she knew. They weren't just in this together as business partners anymore—things had shifted. The way she looked at him now, the gentle way she touched his hand as if she truly cared about him, made Ethan's heart race with anxiety. "Yeah, I know," Ethan replied, his voice tight. He hated lying, especially when she was being so open with him, but he couldn't just tell her the truth—not yet. "It's just... adjusting to everything. You've done so much for me, Sam."Samantha's lips curved into a small smile. "Well, you've done a lot for me, too. I didn't realize how much I needed you until you were here." Her eyes softened. "I know we didn't marry for love, but maybe... maybe we could build something real out of this."Ethan's throat tightened. She was making it harder, without even realizing it.Before he could respond, his phone buzzed on the table. The screen flashed with a text from Olivia.**"We need to talk again. Please, Ethan. I need to know where we stand."**Ethan's pulse quickened, and he instinctively flipped the phone over, hoping Samantha hadn't noticed. But she did. Her smile faltered slightly, her eyes darting to his phone. "Who was that?""Uh, no one," he said too quickly, his voice betraying his nerves. "Just someone from work."Samantha's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, and though she didn't press him, he could feel the shift in the air. She wasn't the type to miss things like this, and Ethan could sense her walls going up again, the ones she had slowly been letting down.The rest of the day was strained. Ethan went through the motions at work, but his mind kept drifting back to Olivia's message. He knew he couldn't keep avoiding her, but he also knew that meeting with her again could push things beyond repair with Samantha.Later that evening, Ethan found himself in the same café where he'd met Olivia before. He didn't tell Samantha he was leaving. Guilt clawed at him, but the pull to see Olivia, to settle things, was too strong to ignore.When Olivia walked in, the look on her face told him everything—she was still in love with him. Her eyes were filled with the same emotions from years ago, and it sent a wave of confusion crashing over him."Ethan," she said, sitting down quickly, her voice quiet. "I'm sorry to keep bothering you, but I need to know. Do you still have feelings for me?"Her words hung in the air, heavy and dangerous. Ethan stared at the table, struggling to find the right response. His feelings for Olivia had never truly disappeared, but things weren't that simple anymore."I don't know, Olivia," he finally said, his voice strained. "You left, and I had to move on. Now I'm married to your sister. This is—this is a mess.""I know it's complicated," Olivia whispered, leaning closer, her hand reaching out to touch his. "But we had something real, Ethan. And I had to give it up to protect you. Don't you see? I never stopped loving you."Her touch sent a familiar warmth through him, but at the same time, it made his stomach churn with guilt. Samantha's face flashed in his mind—the woman who had helped him when he was at his lowest, the woman who was starting to open her heart to him. "You're married to my sister," Olivia continued, her voice shaking. "But do you love her? Or is it just convenience?"Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, his phone buzzed again. He glanced down at the screen, and his heart sank. It was Samantha.**"Where are you? We need to talk when you get home."**His stomach twisted into knots. Samantha knew something was wrong, and he was running out of time to tell her the truth."I have to go," he said abruptly, standing up. Olivia's eyes widened in shock, but she didn't try to stop him this time.As Ethan rushed out of the café, his mind raced. He needed to figure this out. He needed to decide who he really wanted to be with before everything came crashing down.But deep down, he feared it might already be too late.