28
After a while, as I helped Peter to leave, Ethan finally intervened. Grabbing my wrist, he said in a raspy, raw voice, “Natalie, I’m hurt too.”
His eyes were filled with a desperate plea, like an abandoned puppy.
“Let go of me!” My voice was cold and resolute.“It’s not my business.”
Ethan
trembled
slightly;
the
in light
his
eyes
dimmed.“Natalie,
don’t do this to
- me. It
hurts.”
Everyone subtly observed me. Peter’s expression was unreadable, but his trembling fingers betrayed his anxiety. He was afraid that I would soften towards Ethan.
Jack knew Peter wouldn’t show any weakness in front of me. He stepped in.“Miss Ellis, we should hurry up. Mr. Caffrey needs immediate medical attention.”
I nodded. “Ethan, let me go,” I repeated.
as
were
His grip tightened, if I
his only lifeline. I closed my
The sharp sound echoed through the room, stunning everyone.
eyes,
then opened them, and slapped him.
“Ethan, don’t blame anyone for our breakup. It’s disgusting.”
I left with Peter. After the door closed, Ethan touched his face slowly. He laughed self–deprecatingly, his eyes bloodshot. What I said was a blade of ice, tearing at his heart. The pain was agonizing. He stumbled backward. Mark caught him.“Ethan…”
eyes
red. He
murmured, “Natalie
said I was disgusting.
Did
you
hear
that?”
Ethan’s
shockingly were In the light, Mark saw tears in his eyes. He was profoundly shaken. He quickly changed the subject.“You misheard. I’ll take you to the hospital.” He helped Ethan to the car. On the way, Ethan kept calling my name.
“Natalie…” Again and again, like a drowning man crying for help.
Mark sighed. The confident Ethan was gone forever. He felt guilty; if it weren’t for his sister, Ethan and Natalie…
Fate was cruel, wasn’t it?
I accompanied Peter for his checkup. He refused to stay in the hospital and returned to his villa. Seeing the bandages on his forehead and wrist, my guilt intensified.
I whispered, “I’m sorry.”
His eyes darkened; he looked at me intently.“Who are you apologizing for?”
