Chapter 9 Ethan's Decision
952 Words
Ethan exited the building and headed straight to his private elevator. He pressed the B1 button, and the doors slowly closed. Henry, rushing out, only caught a glimpse of Ethan's tense face.
Ethan descended to the underground parking lot. Before reaching his car, he pressed the key fob, unlocking it with a soft beep.
He walked over, opened the door, slid in, fastened his seatbelt, and dialed Charlotte's number.
After a few rings, the call connected.
"Hello?" Charlotte's familiar gentle voice answered. Ethan expressionlessly ended the call and tossed his phone aside. He had expected this outcome, but he still felt the need to confirm it.
*****
Charlotte, hurriedly closing the taxi door, glanced at her phone in confusion. She had just arrived back at the airport and was about to get out of the car when her phone rang. Feeling a bit nauseous, unsure if it was from the ride or something else, and pressed for time, she answered without looking. To her surprise, the caller hung up without saying a word.
After the dial tone, the phone reverted to the main screen.
Charlotte hesitated, opened her recent call log, and immediately recognized the top number. Her finger paused, and her expression became a bit dazed.
This number wasn't saved under a name, but after two years of marriage, she knew who it belonged to.
She didn't know if Ethan had called her for something important or by mistake. Her finger hovered over the screen as she contemplated calling back, but she stopped halfway.
In the end, Charlotte didn't return the call.
She put her phone away, pushed down the nausea in her chest, and walked toward the security checkpoint.
"Charloty, over here."
As soon as she entered the security hall, she saw Ava and Aiden waiting.
Aiden saw her too, his gaze lingering on her briefly, but his expression remained neutral.
Ava was already waving at her anxiously. "Over here, over here."
Charlotte walked toward her, glancing at her watch. Thankfully, she still had plenty of time and hadn't delayed much by going home.
Ava, always the impatient one, grabbed Charlotte and pushed her toward the security checkpoint. "Hurry! Hurry! Don't miss the flight."
The sudden tugging made Charlotte's already unsettled stomach churn even more.
Aiden, ever observant, noticed her pale face and frowned. "Are you okay?"
Charlotte shook her head. "I'm fine, just a bit carsick from rushing."
Aiden nodded and didn't press further.
Ava handed her a bottle of water. "Drink some water. It'll help."
She then turned to Aiden and said, "Aiden, please take care of Charloty."
Charlotte choked on the water a bit, thinking Ava's words were a bit inappropriate since she wasn't that close with Aiden. Afraid Ava might continue saying things without a filter, she quickly screwed the cap back on the bottle and handed it to Ava. "Alright, we're going in now. I'll call you when I get there."
Ava pushed her gently. "Go. Safe travels."
Then, looking a bit emotional, Ava hugged her tightly, pouting.
"Why do you have to go so far just for school?" Her voice was tinged with tears.
Charlotte, feeling a twinge of sadness, patted Ava's shoulder reassuringly without saying much.
Sometimes, going far away was just another form of escape.
She thought about the call that was abruptly disconnected earlier, feeling a pang in her heart.
Charlotte pressed her lips together and forced herself to focus, smiling at Ava. "It's just two years, and I'll be back soon"
Ava, teary-eyed, nodded and reluctantly let her go.
Charlotte had an economy-class ticket, and the security line was long.
Aiden, who might also be flying economy, queued behind her. They didn't talk much, but whenever the crowd jostled them, Aiden would instinctively shield her.
In some ways, Aiden reminded her of Ethan.
Aiden and Ethan shared a certain similarity. It wasn't their looks but their demeanor and way of handling things.
They shared a certain calm, reserved demeanor. Both were polite and kept their distance from others but were considerate in their own ways. Such men were charming but also potentially heart-wrenching to fall for.
Their detachedness wasn't aimed at anyone specifically, but they also made no exceptions for anyone.
Charlotte had never dared to hope she could be Ethan's exception. She didn't know if Amelia might be that exception. She had always wondered what Ethan would be like if he ever lost control over a woman. But she would never see that side of him.
When Charlotte took back her documents from the staff, she pushed all her sorrow aside, moving toward the security check gate.
As she turned, the elevator in the distance stopped smoothly, and Ethan emerged with the crowd, his eyes moving to the large screen displaying flight information at the terminal entrance.
Ethan quickly spotted the information for the flight from Los Angeles to Zurich, which was still boarding.
He turned his gaze toward the long line at the security checkpoint, scanning the crowd but not seeing the familiar figure.
His eyes moved past the security gate to the glass wall beyond, where he saw Charlotte picking up her documents and bag from the conveyor belt.
His gaze lingered, but then her slender figure was quickly obscured by the crowd.
Ethan looked away and walked to the check-in counter, pulling out his passport and handing it to the staff.
"Hi, I'd like to buy a ticket, first class."
The staff replied, "Sure, where to and what time?"
Ethan said, "Anywhere."
The staff gave him a surprised look but quickly issued the ticket.
Ethan went through the first-class security lane into the waiting area and headed toward gate 22, where Charlotte was waiting to board.
- Writer
