Love's Darkest Hour

CHAPTER TEN

Chapter 10: The Weight of the Past

Ethan sat at his desk, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the room. He stared at the screen in front of him, but his thoughts were far from the numbers. His mind was focused on Isabella, the woman who had become both his greatest love and his biggest worry. It wasn’t just the company, the business, or even the looming threats from Gabriel Roberts—it was her.

She had trusted him, let him in when she had no reason to. Yet, even now, after everything they’d been through together, he saw the remnants of her old fears—the ones Gabriel had left behind. It wasn’t something he could easily fix. Love, for her, was still an uphill battle. There was so much weight in the space between them, and it wasn’t just their growing connection that had him troubled; it was the past—the part of her life he couldn’t erase.

Ethan ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. The thoughts about Gabriel’s hold over Isabella were constant, the worry gnawing at him. He knew that the man was more than just a figure in her past—he was a scar that hadn’t healed. Gabriel had taken so much from Isabella, and now, years later, he still had the power to make her tremble. Ethan had seen it in her eyes, the way her shoulders stiffened whenever Gabriel’s name came up, how her smile faltered when a memory slipped through.

It made Ethan feel helpless. He couldn’t erase the years she’d spent under Gabriel’s manipulative hand, the way he had slowly chipped away at her confidence, her self-worth. No one should have that power over someone else. Not Gabriel, not anyone.

Ethan clenched his fists at the thought of the man who had been so willing to destroy Isabella for his own gain. Gabriel hadn’t just broken her heart; he had twisted it into something she couldn’t recognize. He had made Isabella doubt the very thing that could save her—love. It wasn’t just romantic love; it was trust, the kind of trust that once lost, was incredibly hard to rebuild.

His mind replayed the memories of when he went to confront Isabella about why she left him. He remembered standing in the grand hall of Gabriel's estate, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The chandelier above cast a golden glow on the polished marble floors, but nothing about this house felt warm to him. He had come here seeking answers, desperate to understand why Isabella had left, why she had chosen Gabriel over him.

A butler ushered him into the expansive living room. The space was extravagant yet sterile, much like the man who owned it. He waited for thirty minutes, his patience wearing thin, before he finally heard footsteps approaching. Gabriel Roberts entered the room, a smirk already playing on his lips.

Gabriel walked toward the bar in the far corner of the room and poured himself a drink. "Would you like one?" he asked casually, lifting the decanter.

Ethan shook his head, his eyes burning with barely contained fury. "I didn’t come here to drink."

Gabriel shrugged and took a sip of his whiskey before leaning against the bar. "I see you still haven’t let go, Carter," he mused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Isabella made her choice."

Ethan’s jaw tightened. "She made a mistake. And you manipulated her into it."

Gabriel chuckled, his amusement only fueling Ethan’s anger. "Oh, Ethan, you always think you're the hero of the story, don't you? But Isabella—she needed someone who understood her. Someone who didn’t make her feel trapped."

Ethan took a step forward, barely keeping his anger in check. "I never trapped her. I loved her. I still do."

Gabriel feigned a sigh, setting his glass down. "And yet, she walked away. She left for Sylvan, and you had no part in that decision. She wanted to be free of you."

Those words stung more than Ethan cared to admit. Isabella had always been independent, fiercely so, but he had never believed she would leave him for another man—least of all Gabriel. His mind raced back to the moments before she left, the way she had avoided his gaze, the hesitation in her voice when she told him she needed time.

"She'll see through you," Ethan said darkly. "Whatever game you're playing, it won’t last."

Gabriel smirked, his confidence unwavering. "We’ll see."

Ethan turned on his heel and left, the weight of heartbreak pressing against his chest. As he drove away from the estate, his mind was consumed with memories—Isabella’s laughter, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her dreams, the way she had once looked at him like he was her whole world. Now, that world had been shattered.

But he wasn’t giving up. He would wait. No matter what.

The resentment that bubbled up in Ethan made his jaw tighten. He had seen the way Isabella responded to Gabriel, how she stiffened at his name, the way her eyes hardened when she spoke of him. Even now, she struggled to put that part of her life behind her. But Ethan was determined to help her. He didn’t care how long it would take, how hard it would be—he was going to fight for her. For them. But first, he needed to help her fight the shadows of her past.

He stood from his desk, the chair scraping against the floor as he walked toward the window. The city stretched before him, but it felt like a distant world. His thoughts were focused on one thing: Gabriel. That man had come into their lives once, and Ethan wouldn’t let him do it again. Not without a fight.

Ethan couldn’t ignore the tightness in his chest, the anxiety that crept up every time he thought of Isabella’s vulnerabilities. He wasn’t naive. He knew that Gabriel had been an expert at planting seeds of doubt in Isabella’s mind. He had done it before. And even though they were together now, even though their bond was stronger than ever, Ethan feared that Gabriel’s grip on her would remain.

His phone buzzed, jolting him out of his spiraling thoughts. It was a message from Lily: "Have you seen the latest financial reports? Gabriel is still trying to leverage our weaknesses. We need a plan."

Ethan let out a long breath. He wasn’t surprised. Gabriel always had a way of worming his way into their lives, causing chaos when he wasn’t physically around. Ethan had been watching his moves closely, but it was starting to feel like they were playing a game where Gabriel had all the cards. It was time to change that.

He grabbed his jacket, pulling it on as he read the message again. The pressure of the situation, the weight of everything Isabella had gone through, and the looming threat of Gabriel’s return all weighed heavily on him. But he couldn’t back down now. Not when Isabella needed him most. Not when he had promised her that he would fight beside her—no matter what.

Ethan left his office, walking briskly through the corridors of the building. His thoughts were focused on the plan he would need to implement. He knew Gabriel wouldn’t back off without a fight, but this time, Ethan was ready. He wasn’t going to let Gabriel control Isabella’s life any longer.

As he entered the elevator, the doors closing behind him with a soft hiss, Ethan allowed himself a moment to reflect. The past still loomed over them, but it was time to make sure Gabriel’s manipulations came to an end.