EPISODE FIFTEEN
1272 Words
THE ONE HE LOST
One Month Of Silence
Noah had never known silence could be this loud.
It was everywhere.
In his empty apartment.
In the long, exhausting hours of rehearsals.
In the hollow echo of every text left unanswered, every call that never connected.
Ethan was gone.
Truly gone.
And Noah was starting to feel the weight of what that meant.
It wasn’t just losing his manager.
It wasn’t just losing his closest friend.
It was losing him—the one constant in his life, the one person who had always been there no matter what.
And now… he wasn’t.
Noah stood in front of the towering glass building that held Ethan’s company—the empire he had apparently been sitting on this whole time.
His fingers curled into fists.
He had tried everything.
Emails? Ignored.
Calls? Blocked.
Personal visits? Security turned him away every single time.
The last time he had tried, he had been told—without a trace of hesitation—that the CEO’s schedule was full for the next six months.
A slap to the face.
A painful, bitter reminder that Noah was no longer a part of Ethan’s world.
And it was only then that the memory hit him—the night he told Ethan to walk away.
---
THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
It had been a fight.
A stupid, stupid fight.
Flashback
Noah opened the door, looking far too relaxed for someone whose career was currently on the verge of another scandal. Dressed in sweatpants and a loose shirt, he leaned against the doorway with a lazy smirk. "Didn’t expect to see you this late, Ethan. What, miss me?"
Ethan stepped inside without waiting for permission, the frustration in his chest threatening to spill over. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Noah sighed, shutting the door behind him. "It was just a kiss. The media is blowing it out of proportion—like they always do."
Ethan scoffed. "A kiss? Noah, do you even understand the mess you’ve made? The company is barely holding things together after your last stunt, and now this? I’ve spent the entire day trying to fix this for you, and you act like it doesn’t matter."
Noah walked toward the bar in the corner of the room, pouring himself a drink. "You’re overreacting. This will pass."
Ethan’s fists clenched. "Will it? You’ve been acting like this for weeks—pushing me away, destroying yourself, and for what? To kill your feelings? To prove that you don’t care?" His voice wavered slightly, the weight of everything finally catching up to him. "How much longer do you plan on doing this?"
Noah took a sip of his drink, gaze unreadable. "As long as it takes."
The cold finality in his voice made something snap inside Ethan. He stared at Noah, searching for any trace of the person he once knew—the Noah who laughed with him, who trusted him, who needed him. But all he saw was a man desperately trying to erase himself.
Ethan let out a bitter laugh. "You really think this will fix anything, don’t you?"
Noah turned away, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "You don’t get it, Ethan."
"Then help me understand!" Ethan’s voice rose, raw with emotion. "Because from where I’m standing, all I see is you running away. And you’re dragging me down with you."
Noah’s jaw tightened. He exhaled sharply before turning to face Ethan, his expression dark. "If you’re so tired of being by my side, then walk away."
END OF FLASHBACK
Noah had expected an argument. A sharp retort. A fight that would end with Ethan shaking his head, telling him to stop being a stubborn i***t.
But there was nothing.
Just the way Ethan’s expression shuttered—just the way something broke in his gaze, something deep, something Noah hadn’t seen before.
And then Ethan had simply nodded.
No words. No anger.
Just a simple, quiet nod.
Noah had spent months regretting it.
Because he hadn’t meant it.
Because he had wanted Ethan to stay.
But now, it was too late.
Ethan had walked away.
And Noah didn’t know if he would ever come back.
---
The World’s Most Wanted Man
The world had moved on.
And so had Ethan.
Noah saw the headlines before anyone even had to tell him.
THE MYSTERIOUS TRILLIONAIRE FINALLY SPEAKS
THE MAN BEHIND A GLOBAL EMPIRE—BUT WHO IS HE?
RICH, POWERFUL, AND SINGLE—THE WORLD WANTS TO KNOW ETHAN CHOI.
Noah had barely been able to breathe when he saw it.
Ethan had given an interview.
Not just any interview.
One with strict rules.
No pictures. No direct appearances. Just his voice, broadcasted across the world, answering the questions everyone wanted to know.
And Noah had listened to every single second of it.
---
THE INTERVIEW
Interviewer: “People are calling you the most powerful man in the business world right now. But six months ago, no one even knew you existed. How did you build your empire in such secrecy?”
Ethan: Calm. Unbothered. “I never wanted the spotlight. Business can be handled quietly, and I prefer results over attention.”
Noah’s grip on his phone tightened.
Interviewer: “So you never planned to reveal yourself?”
Ethan: Soft chuckle. “No. I only accepted this interview because it’s for a media house under my ownership.”
Noah’s chest ached.
Interviewer: “Many are curious about your personal life. You keep everything so private. But let’s settle one rumor—are you single or taken?”
A pause.
Then Ethan spoke—his voice steady, but with an edge.
Ethan: “I’m single.”
The interviewer pressed on. “And are you into men or women?”
Ethan didn’t hesitate.
Ethan: “Men.”
Noah froze.
The words hit like a freight train.
Ethan had never hidden who he was, but he had never openly said it to the public, either.
Noah’s heartbeat pounded in his ears.
He had never told Ethan how he felt.
He had buried it. Ignored it.
Because Ethan had always been there, right?
Because he had assumed they had time.
But time was gone.
Ethan was gone.
And now, the world wanted him.
People were obsessed with the man they couldn’t see. The man whose voice alone had the world craving more.
Rich men and heirs sent offers, invitations. Celebrities publicly thirsted after him.
Everyone wanted Ethan Choi.
And Noah…
Noah had thrown him away.
---
BREAKING POINT
The screen blurred as Noah’s eyes stung.
Tears threatened to spill, but he clenched his jaw, gripping the phone tighter.
How had it come to this?
Ethan was everywhere now. His name was on everything.
But to Noah…
He was nowhere.
No texts. No calls. No trace of the man who had once been his whole world.
The emptiness in his chest felt unbearable.
For months, he had drowned himself in work, pushing through his packed schedule like a machine.
He kept moving, because stopping meant feeling.
And feeling meant breaking apart.
But no matter how hard he tried to shut it out—
The truth was there.
Ethan had left.
And he had taken Noah’s heart with him.
Noah had never been the one left behind before.
But now?
Now he was the one waiting.
Now he was the one chasing.
Now he was the one who knew what it felt like to lose the most important person in his life.
And for the first time, Noah was terrified.
Because he didn’t know if he would ever get Ethan back.
- Writer
