Whispers of the Heart

Shattering Facades

Chapter 26: Shattering Facades

The air in the kitchen was thick with tension as Ethan leaned against the counter, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Lila stood across from him, a coffee mug in her hand that she hadn't touched. The silence between them was a taut string, threatening to snap at any moment.

"I don't get it, Ethan," Lila said finally, her voice sharp with frustration. "You've been so... distant. Like you don't even care anymore."

Ethan's jaw tightened, and he turned his head to the side, avoiding her gaze. "Maybe I don't."

The words hung in the air, heavy and cutting. Lila's breath hitched as her anger flared. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you seeing someone else? Is that it?"

The accusation caught Ethan off guard, but he quickly recovered, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You're unbelievable, you know that? You want to sit here and accuse me? Of cheating? That's rich, Lila."

Her face flushed red as she straightened her posture, defensive. "I'm just saying—"

"No, you're projecting," Ethan cut her off, his voice rising. He took a step closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "You've been distant, you've been sneaking around, and now you have the nerve to turn this on me? You're a hypocrite, Lila."

"I'm not sneaking around," she shot back, her voice trembling with indignation. "And even if I have been a little off, it's because of you! You've been pulling away for months."

Ethan let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. "You're deflecting again. Classic Lila. You can't even admit to yourself what you've been doing."

"What are you trying to say, Ethan?" she demanded, her voice rising. "If you have something to accuse me of, just spit it out!"

He stepped closer, towering over her now, his eyes narrowing. "You really want me to say it? Fine. I think you're lying to me. I think you've been lying for a long time. But you know what? I don't care anymore. I'm done playing this game."

His words struck like a whip, leaving Lila momentarily stunned. Before she could muster a response, Ethan grabbed his jacket and stormed toward the door.

"Where are you going?" she called after him, her voice shaking.

"To clear my head," he snapped without looking back, slamming the door behind him.

Ethan's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, his thoughts racing. Lila's accusations played on a loop in his head, her hypocrisy stinging more than he wanted to admit. Without thinking, he found himself pulling into Tessa's driveway. He needed to talk to someone who wouldn't twist his words, who wouldn't play games.

Tessa opened the door moments after he knocked, her face lighting up with a soft smile. "Hey, come in. You look like you've been through it."

Ethan didn't wait for an invitation, stepping inside and collapsing onto her couch. "You have no idea."

As Tessa poured them both a glass of wine, his phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at it and frowned. Lila was calling, but he ignored it. Tessa noticed the look on his face.

"Trouble at home?" she asked, handing him a glass.

"You could say that," he muttered, taking a long sip. "She accused me of cheating. Me. Can you believe that?"

Tessa's lips pressed into a thin line, a flicker of anger crossing her face. "That's rich, coming from her."

Ethan's head snapped up at her tone, but he brushed it off. "She's good at turning things around, making me the bad guy. I just needed to get out of there before I lost it."

Tessa placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her touch grounding him. "You deserve better than this, Ethan. She's manipulating you, and you don't have to take it."

Meanwhile, back at the house, Lila was pacing the living room, her phone pressed to her ear. When Tessa answered, Lila wasted no time.

"Tessa, I need your advice," Lila said, her voice tinged with desperation. "Ethan's been acting so strange lately. Distant. I think... I think he might be cheating on me."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Tessa's voice came through, colder than Lila expected. "And what makes you think that?"

"He's been pulling away," Lila said quickly. "He doesn't ask where I've been anymore, and he seems... happy. Like he's hiding something."

Tessa's laugh was sharp and humorless. "That's ironic, don't you think?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lila snapped, her frustration growing.

"It means," Tessa said, her tone steely, "that you've been doing the exact same thing, haven't you? Sneaking around, lying to him. And now you want to cry foul because he's not chasing you anymore?"

Lila's face flushed with anger. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Tessa shot back, her voice rising. "I know Ethan better than you think, Lila. And let me tell you something—he doesn't deserve this. Not from you."

Lila's grip on the phone tightened. "You're awfully defensive of him, Tessa. Makes me wonder why."

Tessa's laugh was low and dangerous. "You can wonder all you want, but the truth is staring you in the face, Lila. You just don't want to see it."

Their conversation ended abruptly, the tension unresolved, but the damage was done. Lila stared at her phone, a mix of anger and unease swirling in her chest. Tessa's words lingered, cutting deeper than she cared to admit.

Back at Tessa's house, Ethan let out a heavy sigh as he finished recounting the night's events. Tessa sat beside him, her hand resting lightly on his.

"You're not alone in this," she said softly, her voice steady. "You've got me."

Ethan looked at her, gratitude shining in his eyes. For the first time in weeks, he felt a sense of calm, even as the storm around him continued to rage.

End of Chapter 26