Chapter 14
638 Words
Ethan drove through the quiet streets, his grip on the steering wheel impossibly tight. The weight of what had just happened sat heavily on his chest. Isabella was curled up in the passenger seat, wrapped in his jacket, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She hadn't spoken since they left Gabriel’s penthouse, her silence more deafening than any scream.
When they arrived at his penthouse, Ethan parked and turned to her. "Isabella, we're here. Let's get you inside."
She barely reacted, her gaze distant. He stepped out and moved to her side, opening the door gently. When she didn’t move, he crouched down, his voice softer this time. "Let me take care of you."
Isabella blinked, finally seeming to register his presence. Slowly, she uncurled herself and allowed Ethan to help her out of the car. Her legs were unsteady, and Ethan held onto her, keeping her close as they entered his home.
The moment they stepped inside, Isabella took a shaky breath and turned away from him. "I need to shower," she whispered.
Ethan’s heart clenched. He nodded, though the thought of her standing under the water, trying to wash away what Gabriel had done, made his blood boil. "Take your time. I'll be right here."
She gave a barely perceptible nod and disappeared into the bathroom. Ethan stood in the middle of the living room, running a hand down his face. Every muscle in his body screamed for vengeance. He wanted to go back and make Gabriel suffer. But right now, Isabella needed him more than his anger did.
The sound of the shower running filled the silence. Ethan paced, unable to sit still. He had never felt so powerless. What if she hadn’t been drugged? What if—no. He refused to believe Gabriel had gone that far. But even the possibility made his hands shake with fury.
After what felt like an eternity, the bathroom door creaked open. Isabella emerged, dressed in one of his oversized shirts, her wet hair dripping onto the fabric. Her face was pale, her eyes red. She looked fragile, like she could shatter at any moment.
Ethan stepped forward cautiously. "Isabella—"
"I don’t know what happened to me," she interrupted, her voice barely above a whisper. She clutched the edge of the shirt as if holding herself together. "I don’t remember. And that terrifies me."
Ethan swallowed hard. "We'll figure it out. You’re not alone in this."
She looked up at him then, her expression full of anguish. "But what if he—?" Her voice cracked, and she shook her head. "I feel disgusting."
Ethan moved closer, gently grasping her hands. "You are not disgusting. You are not ruined. Gabriel doesn’t get to take that from you."
Her lower lip trembled, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to believe him. But then her shoulders slumped. "I don’t know how to move past this."
Ethan exhaled slowly. "One step at a time. And you don’t have to do it alone."
She hesitated before nodding weakly. Ethan guided her to the couch, sitting beside her. Silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was heavy, weighted with things neither of them knew how to say.
Finally, Isabella whispered, "I don’t want to be alone tonight."
Ethan’s chest ached at her vulnerability. "You won’t be. I’ll be right here."
She looked at him, searching his face for reassurance. And then, slowly, she leaned into him. Ethan wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. She trembled slightly, but after a few minutes, her breathing evened out.
Ethan stared ahead, his jaw set. Gabriel had done this. He had pushed Isabella into this darkness. And Ethan would make sure he paid for every single moment of her pain.
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
- Writer
