What Was Never Mine

Chapter 3: The Man Who Left

“Please welcome the CEO of Zenith Global, Mr Ethan Cross”

The name hit me like a blow to the stomach. The air felt too thin for me to breathe. I felt a cold shiver crawl up my spine. My knees felt weak. If I hadn't been holding on to Daniel, I think I would have collapsed right there on the floor.

Ethan stepped fully into the light and my heart sank into my stomach.

He looked so different than I remembered, a total stranger from the man that left five years ago.

The boy I had known wore faded hoodies and had grease on his fingernails from working old car engines.

The man I was looking at was wearing a tuxedo that highlighted his broad shoulders and tall frame. His dark hair was styled neatly. He carried himself with a quiet confidence.

Ethan’s gaze swept through the crowd and met mine.

For about ten seconds, the whole world seemed to stop. The music, the crowd, everything vanished.

His eyes were darker than I remember. I felt like he could see right through the expensive life I was living to the broken girl I was before he left.

The moment broke. He looked away, stepping forward to shake hands with the other families.

My hands were trembling so much. My mind was a wave of thoughts.

Why is he here? Why now?

I gripped Daniel's arm so much my nails were starting to dig into his expensive suit. But I forced myself to breathe slowly, not to give away that I was having a breakdown.

Ethan began giving his speech on stage.

His voice was deep like I remembered. He sounded so warm as he talked about community investment and giving back.

His eyes met mine again for one devastatingly long second. He stutters mid-sentence, but he recovers almost instantly.

Thad was the only evidence that my presence indeed affected him.

He finishes his speech with a charming smile. Daniel's grandmother, Eleanor walks towards the stage.

I watched them as they talked, my eyes still fixed on Ethan, still processing that it's really him standing right here in the same room as me

Eleanor starts walking towards her and Daniel with Ethan beside her.

Her breath hitched.

"Daniel, Amara, meet our generous donor, Ethan Cross", Eleanor said.

Ethan extends his hand to Daniel first; "Mr Montgomery. Pleasure to finally meet you."

Daniel pulls me closer to his side. His smile is perfectly controlled.

"Likewise. Thank you so much for your generous donation."

Ethan turns towards me.

"Hello Aria”.

I caught his eyes as they darted towards the ring on my finger. A flicker of expression on his face but quickly vanished

“Hello Ethan”, I managed to say.

Eleanor's eyebrows raised slightly. “Oh! Do you two know each other?”

“We grew up in the same neighborhood. We were…friends. A long time ago”

“Then we lost touch about five years ago”.

Lost touch. The words made my skin crawl. Why doesn't he just own up and say that he left?

An awkward silence. Eleanor watches all three carefully.

“Mr Cross was telling me he left the city five years ago,” she said. “Quite the success you've become”

Daniel's hand moves to my waist.

"Congratulations. Tech industry, right?"

Ethan's eyes flick to Daniel's hand on my waist.

"That’s right."

Eleanor takes Ethan away to meet other donors, leaving me and Daniel in the crowd.

As Ethan walked away, his gaze caught mine one last time. It was a dark unreadable look that made my heart somersault in my chest.

“Excuse me”, I whispered to Daniel.

His eyes searched my face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just need to go to the restroom”.

I walked steadily through the crowd, smiling politely to everyone I passed. I walked through the corridor, following the signs to the ladies’ room. When I entered, I gripped the edge of the white marble sink, trying to steady myself.

The door swung open and Sena came in.

Her blue dress was shimmering under the bright restroom lights. Her presence at that moment made it obvious she had been watching me all night.

"That's him, isn't it?”, she asked, barely stepping completely into the room. “The one who.."

"He left.”, I said, my face already tearing up. “Five years ago, right after my dad died. I needed him and he just... disappeared.,"

"What is he doing here?", she asked, shutting the door behind her.

"I don't know. But Daniel looked like he was worried about something."

I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes slightly red. My perfect world looked like it was starting to c***k.

“Well you can't make him add you to his list of things to be worried about”, she said, handing me a tissue.

“I just need a minute.”, I said, drying my eyes with the tissue. “I need to go back out there and finish this night."

"Are you sure?"

I straightened my shoulders.

"I'm not going to let Ethan see me fall apart. Not after five years."

Sena smiled slightly. "There she is."

I walked back to the ball room to meet Daniel. The music came on again. It was a slow beat. Daniel's hands found my waist, his hands firm around me as he pulled me close.

"You've been quiet, Aria."

"Just tired. It's been a long night."

"We can leave whenever you want.”, his voice sounding soft.

Across the room, I could see Ethan. He was still talking to other donors. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering in his direction.

The night finally came to an end.

The drive home was long and quiet. Daniel's hand was on my knee but it felt heavy.

I couldn't hold my curiosity any longer.

"Did you know it was going to be him?”, I asked, my voice barely audible.

Daniel didn't look at me. "I had no idea. Are you okay?"

I looked at my silver dress, and Daniel’s hand over my knee.

“I'm fine”, I said, but it was a pathetic lie and I knew it.

"You don't have to pretend with me.”, Daniel said, finally turning to look at me. “I know he meant something to you."

I reached over and took his hand, and stared into his eyes. I wanted to convince him as much as I could.

"He did. And he threw it away”, I said. “That was a long time ago. You're here now and that's what matters."

Daniel pulls me close and kissed my forehead

"That's all I needed to hear"

I rested my head on his chest with his arms around my shoulder.

I could hear his heart thumping in his chest.

It was beating fast, like he felt nervous.

But I couldn't tell if it was because he was worried because of Ethan or worried because of me.