Chapter 4: The Past Returns
1514 Words
CHAPTER 4
The rest of the night was filled with tension and hidden danger. Wherever Clara moved, she felt Elena’s cold, hateful gaze following her. Elena was beautiful, wealthy, and famous, gliding through the crowd like a queen, laughing and talking with powerful people, yet her focus never strayed far from Ethan. And Ethan was a changed man — tense, quiet, his hand never leaving Clara’s waist, holding her close as if terrified she might be taken away.
He was clearly haunted by his past. Clara realized then that Elena had broken him deeply years ago, destroying his ability to trust or love. Now she was back, intending to repeat history. Clara felt a rising anger, not toward Ethan, but toward Elena. She refused to let anyone humiliate them or ruin the life they were building under their contract.
Near midnight, Ethan led her away from the noise to the large balcony for fresh air. The cool night wind blew, offering some relief. He leaned against the railing, looking out over the city lights, appearing exhausted and broken, far older than his years.
“I am sorry,” he said softly, his voice rough and low. “I didn’t know she would be here. I never wanted you to see this side of things.”
Clara stood beside him, gripping the railing. “You have nothing to apologize for. She is your past, not your fault. Don’t let her force her way back into your present.”
Ethan turned to look at her, surprised by her strength and calmness. “You are very brave, Clara. Most people would have run away or demanded to leave. But you stood right beside me.”
“I am doing what I agreed to do,” she replied quickly, hiding the truth that it was becoming far more than just a job or a contract. “I am playing the role of your wife exactly as promised.”
Before he could respond, the glass door slid open smoothly.
“There you are, Ethan. I knew I would find you here.”
That voice — sweet, melodic, yet dripping with poison — made Ethan stiffen instantly.
Elena stepped out, closing the door behind her. She looked stunning in her silver gown, her blonde hair falling perfectly over her shoulders. She completely ignored Clara’s presence and walked straight to Ethan, placing a hand familiarly on his chest, right over his heart.
“I missed you so much,” she whispered, her tone soft and manipulative. “I made a terrible mistake leaving you back then. I was young and foolish, thinking money was everything. I realized too late that you were the only thing that mattered. I am back now, ready to make it right. We can go back to how things were, just you and me, powerful and perfect together. All you need to do is send this… girl away. She means nothing compared to us. She could never be me, and she could never love you like I do.”
Clara clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain calm as she had promised. She watched Ethan closely, waiting for his reaction.
Slowly, gently, Ethan removed Elena’s hand from his chest. A small smile touched Elena’s lips, believing she had already won him over. But then Ethan stepped back, creating distance between them. His expression hardened, turning cold, sharp, and final — the look of the powerful billionaire everyone feared.
“You are wrong, Elena,” he said clearly, loud enough for her to hear every word. “You are wrong about absolutely everything.”
He reached out, took Clara’s hand firmly in his own, and pulled her close to his side, wrapping his arm securely around her waist, claiming her openly and without hesitation.
“This girl’s name is Clara. She is my wife. She is kind, honest, and brave. She treats me like a human being, not a prize to be won or a bank account to be emptied. You left me years ago because, back then, I wasn’t rich or powerful enough for your taste. You chose wealth over me. You broke my heart and walked away without a single glance back. Do not stand here now and pretend you loved me. Do not claim you made a mistake. You made your choice long ago. And I made mine. I chose Clara. I chose peace. I chose honesty. You are nothing to me now but a painful memory I have already buried and forgotten.”
Elena’s face flushed red with shock and rage, then turned pale. She had expected him to crumble, to beg, to welcome her back like he once did. She never imagined he would choose Clara over her.
“You fool!” she screamed, her voice losing all its sweetness, turning ugly and sharp. “You think she cares about you? She is exactly like me! She has nothing! She is poor! She is only here for your money, your name, your status! She is using you, just like I did! You are a blind fool if you believe otherwise!”
“At least she is honest about her intentions,” Ethan replied coldly, his voice deadly calm. “She told me exactly what she wanted from day one. She never lied to me, never pretended to be something she wasn’t. You lied about everything. You never loved me; you only loved what I could give you. Now leave. You are not welcome here. You are not part of my life anymore. If you ever come near me or my wife again, or if you try to harm her in any way, I will destroy everything you have and every connection you have. Do not test my power, Elena.”
Elena glared at them both with pure hatred burning in her eyes. She looked at Clara with a wicked promise.
“This isn’t over,” she hissed fiercely. “Mark my words, Ethan. I always get what I want. And I want you. I will tear this fake marriage apart. I will expose her true colors. I will make sure you come crawling back to me, begging for forgiveness. Just wait and see.”
She turned sharply, her dress swishing angrily, and stormed back inside, slamming the glass door behind her with force.
Silence fell heavily over the balcony.
Clara let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her hands trembled slightly, and her heart raced. She looked up at Ethan. He was still staring at the closed door, his face serious, his mind clearly working fast.
Then he looked down at her. The hardness in his eyes melted instantly, replaced by something soft, warm, and protective.
He lifted his hand and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, his touch surprisingly tender.
“Are you alright?” he asked quietly, his voice deep and sincere. “I am so sorry you had to hear that or go through that. She is dangerous, Clara. She meant every word. She will try to hurt you just to get to me.”
Clara looked deep into his eyes, feeling a shift in her own heart. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly safe, protected right here in his arms.
“I am fine, Mr. Hayes,” she whispered. “I can handle her. She is just a woman with too much pride and too little heart. She cannot hurt me… unless you let her back in.”
Ethan smiled — a real, genuine smile that reached his eyes and made him look younger and incredibly handsome.
“Never,” he promised firmly. “I won’t let her in, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not her. Not anyone. You are my wife, Clara. Fake or not… right now, you are the most important person in my life. And I protect what is mine.”
The words hung heavy in the cool air. You are mine.
Neither spoke for a moment. They simply stood close together, feeling the wind, watching the city lights, and realizing the line between contract and reality was blurring fast. The coldness and hatred were fading, replaced by something deeper, stronger, and far more complicated.
Ethan looked at her, his gaze dark and intense.
“Let’s go home, Clara. Away from here. Away from her.”
He took her hand, and this time, Clara didn’t just accept it as part of a job. She held it back, tight and sure.
As they walked back through the party, hand in hand, everyone turned to watch them — the powerful couple, stronger united than anyone could have imagined. Elena watched from across the room, her face twisted with jealousy and plotting her revenge.
But Ethan and Clara did not look back. They walked out together, ready to face the threats, the lies, the secrets, and the growing feelings neither was ready to admit yet.
And deep down, Clara knew… this was only the beginning of a battle that would change both their lives forever.
- Writer
