Chapter 8
Chapter 8
I threw myself into work wholeheartedly.
My colleagues said I was pushing myself too hard.
Only I knew that staying busy was the only way to forget.
After some time, my boss recommended me to the largest jewelry company in the area.
In just six months, my talent and relentless work ethic helped me surpass most of my peers,
and I became a senior designer.
Gradually, Ethan faded from my thoughts.
I only heard about his developments through occasional mentions by my mom.
After emerging from the basement, he had thrown another tantrum, but was quickly subdued by James Smith, who threatened him with a blocked credit card.
I thought it would end there. But no–Ethan had spun things around and detached his company from the Smith family business, becoming a competitor to the Smith Group.
“Ethan is young and hot–headed, but he’s sharp. He knows Smith Group inside and out, and he’s been driving their stock down, causing a loss of millions. His father’s been pulling his hair out over it,” my mom said.
Then there was a long silence on the phone before my mom spoke again, her voice hoarse. “Grace, can you come back? He says if he sees you, he won’t fight with his father anymore:”
I knew my mom had been desperately hiding my whereabouts. Now, for her to ask me to return meant she had nowhere else to turn.
I agreed almost immediately.
“Okay, I’ll come back as soon as I finish this project.”
“Where are you going?”
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Chapter 8
A voice, deep and smooth, interrupted my thoughts.
I turned to find Mike standing there, a coffee in hand.
This was oddly coincidental.
I had met him for the first time on the street, lost in thought about work when I accidentally bumped into him, spilling my coffee all over his shirt.
apologize, I added him as a friend and paid for the shirt.
I thought that would be the end of it.
But when I joined the new company, I found out that he was my colleague.
We became acquainted since he was the only person I knew there.
“You’re going back home?” Mike asked, his voice slightly muffled.
I nodded.
“There are some things I need to handle.”
“Will you
be
gone long?”
“Will you come back afterward?”
“How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
“Can I go with you?”
His barrage of questions left me dazed.
I quickly raised a hand to stop him.
“I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”
Without saying another word, Mike pushed the coffee toward me.
“Your favorite flavor, drink it while it’s hot.”
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I glanced at the iced coffee in front of me and couldn’t help but smile.
A few days later, I boarded the flight home.
Mike drove me to the airport.
The wind was strong, blowing my hair all over the place. I didn’t see the mischievous glint in his eyes.
welve hours later, the plane finally landed.
Everything looked the same as when I left, but it felt entirely different.
As I stepped out of the airport, I saw Ethan.
He stood by the car, wearing a black trench coat, looking like the ambitious young man I once knew. The only difference was that his hair was now slicked back, giving him a much
more mature look.
Şix months later, when I saw him again, I realized that my heart didn’t stir in the slightest.
It was as though he had simply melted into the air.
When Ethan saw me, his eyes lit up.
He hurried over to take my luggage from me.
Only then did I notice how terrible he looked. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, dark circles under his eyes, and a stubble had grown on his chin.
“Grace, welcome home.”
I nodded and got into the car. I didn’t know what to call him anymore, so I stayed silent.
The drive was quiet. Ethan kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror.
He didn’t take me to the old house. Instead, he drove me to his own place.
The garden was full of roses, just like the ones I had planted years ago.
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The house was decorated in all my favorite colors, with pictures of me on the walls.
Ethan, brimming with excitement, grabbed my hand and pulled me upstairs.
“Grace, look! This is all for you.”
“See this room? It’s exactly like the one at home. I found the pictures we took together and put them up here.”
When he opened the door to the room, I was overcome with a dizzying sense of déjà vu.
It really was just like my old room. Even the things I had unknowingly left behind were here again.
Ethan circled around me, babbling on excitedly about our “new life.”
“Grace, once we’re married, we’ll live here. If you miss your mom, we can go back for a few days every month.”
“I’ve already ordered the wedding dress, designed by a master just for you. After you rest for a couple of days, I’ll take you to try it on.”
“You won’t believe it. During the time you were gone, I learned how to coo
