Chapter 4
613 Words
I sprinted home as fast as my legs could carry me.
Ethan was perched on the sofa waiting for me, like he'd known I'd come charging back this whole time.
"How do you like that, Stella? My writing skills haven't rusted, right? Made you 'famous' with just a couple sentences.
"I've always been curious, actually. How does a measly little consultant like you afford all this stuff? You must've crawled into some sugar daddy's bed a long time ago, huh?"
He lounged back on the sofa, twisting that pair of earrings between his fingers.
The sheer malice oozing from the corner of his eyes made every muscle in my body tremble.
Ethan and I had once loved each other. How on earth had we ended up like this?
He knew exactly how many sleepless nights I'd poured into fighting for the position I have now.
Back then, when I pulled all-nighters for work, he'd always sneak up behind me and massage my shoulders.
Yet nothing remains as it once was. It's all thin smoke, gone the second you blow.
"Ethan, you bastard!
"Are you happy now that you've ruined my life? Is that what you wanted?"
Not a shred of guilt showed on Ethan's face.
In fact, seeing me this frantic only made him more excited.
"That's right. I did it on purpose.
"Who told you to go find Helen? Do you have any idea how long she cried over this?"
Ethan spat the words out through gritted teeth.
His hatred wrapped around me, thick and suffocating.
So this was all still for Helen.
He'd carried guilt for her for years, always desperate to make it up to her.
But what about me? What did I ever do wrong?
Why should I have to put up with Ethan's snide remarks? Why should I have to fall for his stupid tricks?
I hadn't done a single damn thing wrong.
All the emotion I'd bottled up for months finally boiled over right then.
I couldn't hold it in anymore, and I didn't want to.
I snatched the cup off the side table and hurled it straight at Ethan.
It sliced right across his cheek, dead on target.
The glass shattered on impact, carving a deep, bleeding cut into his cheek.
"You insane b***h! I'm going to teach you a damn lesson!"
Ethan didn't even spare a thought for the stinging pain in his face.
He snatched a shard of broken glass off the floor and stormed straight toward me, frothing at the mouth, ready to fight me tooth and nail.
I was ready for an all-or-nothing showdown.
But in the very next second, a pair of big, strong hands shoved themselves right between me and him.
It was Richard.
"Try laying a finger on her. I dare you."
Richard had saved me once again.
Just standing there motionless, his aura was enough to send ice crawling down anyone's spine.
Ethan didn't even dare draw a full breath.
He could only gape helplessly as Richard pulled my hand into his.
"So you really do have a sugar daddy after all," he spat. "Stella, you really have got some tricks up your sleeve, don't you?"
Huddled back in the corner, he still couldn't keep his venomous mouth shut.
I didn't have the energy to waste arguing with him anymore.
I was utterly drained, bone-deep tired.
Richard pulled a photo from his pocket and held it out to Ethan.
"The one who really has tricks up their sleeve isn't her. Take a look. Who's in this picture?"
The lazy sneer froze solid on Ethan's face in an instant.
"How is this possible? Helen told me she was dead."
- Writer
