Love's Price Tag

Sophia's POV I was humming to one of my favorite songs as l was preparing breakfast for the love of my life, Ethan. Today was a very special day for us as we were celebrating three years of being together. This wasn't even the best part of the day. Oh no, Ethan was ready to introduce me to his family. I was finally going to meet his parents after three years of being together. We had arranged a big dinner with his parents and some of our friends that were more like family. As l flipped the eggs and thought more about this, l felt fluttering in my stomach. I was in a cheerful mood. What could this mean? Does it mean he is ready to settle down with me? Ethan had not mentioned marriage before, it was a subject he tried by all means to avoid. But now l was so sure, it was me he wanted. This was a clear sign that l was soon going to be Mrs Evans. He was ready to make me his wife. I switched off the stove and sat my pan aside. I was already picturing the dress l would wear, and the theme l wanted at the wedding. I was startled by Ethan's ringing phone. "Ethan babe, your phone is ringing" l called out, but obviously he could not hear me as he was in the shower. "Honey" l called out again but all l heard was Ethan's loud singing. I decided to take his phone to him. It might be an important call or, better still, it might be my future-in-laws. As l picked up the phone, my heart skipped a beat. It was Clara. Could this be the Clara that l know? Yep, it was her. The picture attached to the contact confirmed it. Why was she calling Ethan? They have been apart for almost 5 years now. I started asking myself a lot of questions. Should l answer it? Should l be worried? Should l go through Ethan's phone? No, this was wrong. Ethan loved me, and it was me who was being introduced to his family. After all, Clara had left Ethan to look for greener pastures and rumor had it that she had found someone. I was obviously overthinking this whole issue. No, l was not going to mess with my dinner because of my insecurities. I placed the phone back to where I had found it and went back to dishing out my eggs. I heard the shower being turned off. Should l ask him? Ethan came down wrapping a towel around his waist. He was so handsome with his wet hair and a few water droplets on his chest. "Are you okay" when he asked that was when l realized that my hands were trembling slightly. "Oh Yeah l am okay, your phone was ringing earlier" He walked to where his phone was and slid it open. I looked at him attentively. I looked at his face, trying to look for something. But there was nothing. "Oh, it's Jason. He definitely wanted to know more about the dinner tonight." Ethan had just lied. I couldn't believe it. My heart dropped. I wanted to scream at him that he was lying but l just couldn't. Maybe he didn't want to hurt me on such a lovely day. My thoughts spiraled as l was replaying our conversation in my mind. What else had he lied about? Was our love as real as l believed, or was it built on half-truths and secrets? As the morning passed, everything was a blur for me. The weight of Ethan's lies still lingered in the air like a thick fog. I don't even remember how l went through the day as l was in a daze. I actually felt disconnected from everything around me. At work, l really struggled to focus. Even as my colleagues continued chatting about weekend plans, as for me, l barely registered their words. Instead, l continuously found myself lost in thoughts, l kept going over his lie over and over. Each time, the pain of Ethan’s deception cuts deeper. During lunch, l sat alone at a small table trying to eat, which l found difficult, so l stopped trying. I honestly could not shake the feeling of uncertainty of what lay ahead that was gnawing at me. As the afternoon dragged on, l tried to distract herself with tasks. My poor mind kept returning to Ethan. Did he truly love her, or was l just a placeholder until Clara returned? The thought sickened me and l felt a wave of sadness wash over me. By the time l got home, I noticed that the sun was casting a warm glow across the living room. I stood by the window, watching the roses that were planted in our front yard, but the beauty on this day was not visible. Ethan arrived shortly after, his demeanor bright and blissful. Was he excited about the dinner or something else? I was finding it hard to trust him. “Hey! "Ready for dinner?” he asked, a smile on his face that made my heart ache. “Yeah,” l replied, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes as there was turmoil in my heart. As we drove to the restaurant, the silence in the car was palpable. All l felt was the tension between us, the unspoken words hanging in the air. I tried focusing on the passing scenery, trying to steady my racing thoughts. We finally reached the restaurant after what felt like forever. Although the glowing lights inside felt welcoming, l no longer anticipated the dinner. As we walked in, l noticed our table. All our mutual friends were already there and also there they were. My future in-laws. For a minute all my fears and uncertainties vanished. Their faces lit up when they spotted us. “There they are!” his mother exclaimed, waiving us over. “Hi, momma, Hi Papa” Ethan said, his voice cheerful. This was the moment l had been waiting for. l was finally being introduced to the Evans pack. My dream was finally coming true. “This is my friend, Sophia,” Ethan said to his parents. The word stung. Friend. I forced a smile, to say l was hurt would be an understatement. “It’s great to see you all,” l managed, trying to mask my discomfort. Even Elena, one of our mutual friends, was shocked. I saw the look she gave me was of hurt and shock. "Nice to know you Sophia. Funny Ethan never talks about you." She said this, looking at him. He just laughed awkwardly but never said anything. I tried to engage in the conversation, but the words felt heavy on my tongue. I watched both our mutual friends and his parents laugh and share stories, and l constantly felt like an outsider. Just then, the restaurant door swung open, and in walked Clara, who looked radiant and confident. My heart sank as l recognized her. Clara’s presence commanded immediate attention, and l felt a pang of jealousy twist in my gut. “Sorry I’m late!” Clara announced, her cheerful voice cutting through the air. “Ethan! So good to see you!” "Oh Ethan, when Clara told us she was also in town, we decided to invite her. Hope it's not a bad thing". His father said. "Oh No! It's totally fine. Hie Clara!" he greeted her. As Clara moved to hug Ethan, I felt a wave of frustration wash over me. I thought this was supposed to be our night, and yet here we were. Everyone knew about Clara. I mean, who didn't know about the girl that Ethan longed for? That Ethan had her loved everything in him? Who didn't know how she had hurt him and left him broken? This cannot happen. The evening unfolded in a blur of laughter and conversation, but l felt increasingly isolated. This is not what l had anticipated. My heart was shattered. What did it mean for their future? Even at the dinner, the spark between Clara and Ethan was still there. Even l could see it. To Ethan, l was no longer visible. His attention was solemnly on Clara. Elena looked at me from time to time, but l pretended that l was fine. I smiled and sometimes laughed without even hearing the joke. I realized that the truth was becoming harder to ignore. I needed to confront my feelings, but the thought of doing so in front of Ethan’s family felt impossible. The dinner ended with hugs and goodbyes, but as l walked to the car, l felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. I had come to celebrate our love, but instead, I was left questioning everything. As we drove home in silence, l could feel the tension hanging between us. The warmth of our past felt like a distant memory, and that was when I knew that things would never be the same again.