Ethan's POV
The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I stirred, feeling warmth pressed against my chest.
My eyes opened slowly—and there she was.
Ember.
Asleep, her breath soft and steady, her fingers curled lightly against me like she belonged there.
Something twisted inside me.
I loved Veronica... didn't I? For years, I believed that. She was my first love. My dream. My future.
Then why was I here now, holding Ember like she was the air I needed to breathe?
Every time she's near, my mind goes blank. My body responds before my thoughts can even catch up. I crave her touch—I lose control around her. I can't keep my hands away, no matter how much I try to convince myself this is just a mistake.
Am I using her?
To escape my loneliness?
To numb the guilt?
To bury the pain of losing Veronica?
The questions were louder than ever. I didn't have answers—only chaos in my head and Ember in my bed.
Carefully, I moved her off me, not wanting to wake her. She murmured something in her sleep but didn't stir. I stood, grabbed my clothes, and got ready in silence.
By the time I left the apartment, I didn't even look back.
Because I was afraid of what I'd see in her eyes.
Or worse—what she might see in mine.
Ember's POV
When I opened my eyes, the other side of the bed was empty.
Ethan was gone.
No note. No goodbye. Just the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the sheets.
I got up, made myself some breakfast, and sat in silence, staring out the window. After eating, I wandered around the apartment aimlessly. It was a beautiful place—modern, spacious, cold.
Lifeless.
Two maids came and went by evening, but during the day, it was just me. Alone with my thoughts.
I found myself exploring, trying to understand the man I was now living with. That's when I noticed one room—its door tightly shut. It didn't look like a guest room.
Something about it pulled me in.
Curiosity got the better of me.
I pushed the door open.
And then I froze.
The room was like a shrine—photo frames lined every shelf and wall. Ethan and Veronica. Smiling. Laughing. Hugging on vacation. Dressed up at their engagement party. Kissing on the beach. Candid moments, perfect memories. Pieces of a love story that didn't belong to me.
And now… I was in the middle of it.
The bed in the center of the room, untouched, felt sacred. This wasn't just any room.
This was their room.
I stepped back, my throat tight. My chest ached.
I didn't belong here.
I gently closed the door, pressing my palm against the wood as if trying to shut out the ache that had now settled deep in my heart.
One year.
That's all I had with Ethan.
After that, I would leave, and they would go back to their perfect life. Pick up where they left off.
And maybe… that was how it should be.
Even if a part of me longed to stay… even if I liked Ethan more than I ever intended to, I couldn't be the reason someone else lost their happiness. Not when it was clear how much they once loved each other.
No matter how broken I felt, I wasn't selfish.
I needed to meet Veronica.
I needed to talk to her. Hear her side. Apologize, maybe even plead—if there was still love in her heart for Ethan, I would step away.
It hurt. God, it hurt so much.
But hiding their love for my own fragile heart… that wasn't right.
Maybe Ethan didn't love me.
Maybe he never would.
And that had to be enough.