Chapter Five
1243 Words
Ariana's Pov
“Ethan… bringing breakfast for me?”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
I sat up slowly, still trying to process what I was seeing.
How? What happened?
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he stood by the door holding the tray in one hand, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
And that was what unsettled me the most.
Why was he smiling like that?
Nothing about him felt predictable anymore.
My brows tightened slightly as I watched him carefully.
What exactly goes through this man’s mind?
And why did it suddenly feel like I was the one struggling to keep up?
He placed the tray on the bed and gestured for me to come closer.
My brows lifted slightly as I looked at him, silently asking what this was about.
What was going on?
What was the occasion?
And why the sudden change in attitude?
Nothing about Ethan ever shifted without reason, and that was exactly what made this feel even more unsettling.
“This is breakfast in bed, my darling wife,” he said with a smirk.
I didn’t even smile.
Instead, I sat up properly and looked at him, my expression hardening.
“Okay… tell me what all this is about.”
My voice came out sharper than I intended.
“You want to poison me now and dispose of me quickly? Is that how much you despise me?”
Ethan opened his mouth like he wanted to respond, but I didn’t give him the chance.
“Do you even hear yourself sometimes?” I continued, my voice rising. “Like I chose to be here? Like I asked for any of this?”
My grip tightened on the bedsheet.
“Did you ever stop to think if I’m even happy in this marriage?”
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“You said it to yourself last night.....’m young. I have dreams. I should be living my life, falling in love properly, building something real… something with respect.”
My chest rose and fell faster now.
“I was forced into this. Did that ever cross your mind, Ethan? Or is your mind too busy assuming the worst about me?”
I finally stopped, breathing heavily, my eyes locked on him.
And for once…
I didn’t care if he answered or not.
I added, my voice shaking slightly with anger, I didn’t even try to hide.
“I don’t want your breakfast in bed. You can kill me easily with a gun instead.”
Without waiting for his reaction, I stood up and walked straight into the bathroom.
This time, I didn’t care.
Not about his mood. Not about his presence. Not about anything.
Behind me, Ethan didn’t move.
He just stood there like something had frozen him in place.
I didn’t bother looking back.
I took my shower slowly, letting the water drown out my thoughts, even if just for a few minutes.
But when I came out
He was still there.
Only this time, he wasn’t standing.
He was sitting in the armchair inside the room, watching me quietly.
I ignored him completely, drying myself and moving past like he wasn’t even in the room.
That was when he finally spoke.
“Is this how you see me too?”
I didn’t answer him.
Instead, I continued calmly applying my lotion, going through the rest of my routine as though his voice wasn’t even there.
The room stayed quiet for a moment.
Then Ethan spoke again.
But this time, his tone had changed.
Softer.
Less sharp.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “For everything… and for last night too.”
My hands slowed slightly, but I still didn’t look at him.
“I’m not killing anyone and haven't killed anyone before or will I ever do such,” he added. “I just… felt like I wronged you. That’s why I brought you breakfast. To make up for it.”
A pause.
"I am sorry Ariana"
I stopped mid-motion.
Slowly, I placed the lotion down and turned to him fully.
“I’ve been trying to adjust to this marriage,” I added, my voice breaking just slightly despite my effort to stay steady. “To you. To everything forced on me.”
I shook my head faintly.
“But don’t stand there and act like I imagined it all.”
Ethan finally moved.
Slowly, he pushed himself off the chair, his expression unreadable again but no longer careless.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said, quieter than before,
“…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
But something in me had already forgiven him for no reason. Before I could say anything else Ethan hugged me from behind, and I could feel my blood running through my veins.
I didn't push him away and then a knock came outside.
"Sir, your father is here," the servant said from outside.
Julius arrived without warning that morning, as usual, as if he owned this place with Ethan.
By the time I came downstairs, he was already seated at the dining table like he owned the place. Which in some way he did. Ethan sat across from him, jaw tight, coffee untouched.
Julius looked up when I walked in and smiled.
"Ariana.
Good morning."
"Good morning," I replied quietly.
The conversation started with business, but Julius had a way of steering things back to where he actually wanted them. It didn't take long.
"There's a family dinner this weekend," he said casually. At the family house in Sea Cliff. Everyone will be there. I expect you both to come."
Then he stood, straightened his jacket and left. Like the visit had taken five minutes because it only needed to.
The moment the door closed, Ethan looked at me.
"We're going shopping," he said.
"That's not necessary…."
"Get ready."
He took me to the kind of street where shops had no prices in the window because if you needed to ask, you probably couldn't afford it. I said it wasn't necessary three times. He ignored me all three times and by the time we left I had more bags than I knew what to do with.
At one point, we both reached for the same thing on a rack. Our hands landed at the same time and neither of us moved immediately. He looked down, then up at me with an expression I couldn't read.
Then I stepped back and said nothing. I pretended nothing had happened even though my heart was behaving completely unreasonably.
On the drive home, he turned the music low and asked if I was hungry.
Such a small thing.
The kind of small thing that made everything complicated.
We got home and quickly dressed up. Ethan couldn't stop staring at me.
Do you want to make a hole in the dress with your eyes? I teased him.
Oh Ariana, this dress fits perfectly, Ethan said.
I couldn't stop blushing, and he added, I didn't know you could look this beautiful and stunning….
I didn't let him finish
Is that a compliment or mockery? I responded immediately.
He came closer and gave me a deep kiss before another word came out of my mouth and whispered Let's go, we can't be late.
I was excited all through the drive to Ethan's family's house until my eyes caught Lia at the entrance of Julius Daniel's Mansion.
- Writer
