When He Defended His Sister, I Chose to Break Up

Chapter 4

Satisfied with my answer, Ethan nodded.

"Wait until I get back. We'll have a proper talk."

Then he carried Mia out.

He finally returned that evening. When he saw me sitting quietly at home, relief crossed his face.

"That's my good girl."

I ignored him. He stroked my hair.

"Nora, I know I've hurt you. Mia goes too far sometimes, and I admit I've spoiled her. There really won't be a next time."

I listened without comment. I no longer believed a word of it.

I held out my hand. "Where is my blessed pendant?"

Discomfort flickered across his face.

"Mia's cut was deep, and she said she was scared, so I let her wear it."

My ears rang.

"That pendant is mine. What gave you the right to give it away?"

Ethan frowned. "Nora, it's just an object. Mia was hurt and scared."

I shoved past him and ran to the hospital. He followed with an exasperated sigh, as though I were the unreasonable one.

The moment I opened the door to Mia's hospital room, I saw her shredding the small cloth pouch that held my blessed pendant. Torn strips of fabric already littered the floor.

She smiled when she saw me. "Oh, Nora, you're here."

Her hands moved faster.

I lunged forward to snatch it back.

Mia screamed, "Nora, please don't hit me again!"

Ethan had just entered behind me. At her cry, he rushed in front of her and shoved me aside.

"Nora Ellis, what the hell is wrong with you now?"

Using Ethan as a shield, Mia ripped the last piece from the pouch while meeting my furious stare.

Only then did Ethan realize what had happened. He looked at the scraps scattered across the floor, but his first instinct was still to defend her.

"Nora, Mia didn't mean it. I'll have another pendant blessed for you, all right?"

I stared at the pendant and its shredded pouch until I felt nothing at all.

"I'm going home."

Ethan seemed startled by how calm I was, then mistook my silence for obedience.

"All right. I'll come with you."

Before he could take a step, Mia caught his sleeve.

"Ethan, I'm scared. Stay with me a little longer, please."

He stopped.

I didn't. I returned home, took my suitcase, and went straight to the airport.

I couldn't wait until tomorrow. I was leaving now.

End of Nora's POV.

*****

Ethan stayed at the hospital with Mia. She tried to talk him into staying overnight, but he refused. Unease gnawed at him. Nora had been unnervingly calm at the hospital, and that calm frightened him.

Something was wrong.

He hurried home and threw open the door. The apartment was empty. Every trace of Nora was gone.

She hadn't waited for him. She had left.

The realization made his chest seize, and the color drained from his face.