Confronting Our Past
Once outside, the bustling streets of Manhattan felt unreal. I held Rose closer, as if she could shield me from the memories flooding back. Ethan’s eyes bore into mine, a mixture of hurt and confusion lingering in the air.
“You could have told me,” he said, his voice cracking. “How could you hide her from me?”
“Hide?” I whispered, feeling the ache in my chest. “I did what I had to do. You were too busy building your empire.”
“I never wanted any of this to happen,” he admitted, rubbing his temples. “We had dreams, and I—”
“And you chose your career over us,” I interjected, my voice rising. “You forgot what it meant to be a husband and a father.”
Ethan’s expression softened, just for a moment. “I thought I was doing it for us…”
I looked past him, uncertainty creeping in. The man I once loved still flickered beneath the hurt and anger. “You chose ambition, Ethan. Now, we’re here because of it.”
He took a breath, a sense of desperation creeping into his voice. “I didn’t know. I thought… I thought you were fine, that you’d moved on.”
“Did you even care?” I asked, feeling the walls closing in around me. The clamor of the city felt distant, as if we were the only two souls alive, grappling with the weight of our decisions.
A Future in Jeopardy
Later, we found ourselves in a quiet café, the aroma of coffee mingling with the tension between us. I placed Rose’s carrier between us, a fragile barrier. “What does it mean to be a parent, Ethan?” I asked, wanting clarity, wanting hope.
He stared into his cup, his brow furrowing. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that responsibility,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.
My heart sank. “What do you mean?” The chill of his admission wrapped around me like ice. “She needs you.”
“I need to think,” he said, his gaze growing distant. “I can’t just jump into this.”
Every word struck like a blow. My thoughts swirled, wondering if I had made a mistake bringing him back into our lives. I caught a glimpse of his phone lighting up. He answered it after glancing at me. “Yes, I’ve considered the options,” he said, sounding detached. My stomach dropped.
“Ethan, what options?” I glanced at him, panic rising. Was he really thinking about a settlement to keep Rose out of his life?
He didn’t respond, his focus solely on the call. I leaned closer, straining to catch the words slipping from his lips. “It might be best for everyone… to keep her out of the picture for now. I just want to protect my future.”
My chest tightened. “Protect your future? What about hers?”
Just then, a news alert flashed across the café screen: “Massive Scandal Hits Hartwell Industries.” My heart raced, realization dawning as I turned to Ethan, ready to confront the truth.
“This isn’t just about you anymore,” I pushed, feeling the weight of our shared past press down on me. “You have a daughter now.”
But the look in his eyes told me he was already planning an escape. Just when I thought we might find common ground, I discovered a hidden secret: Ethan’s involvement in the very crisis threatening his reputation could endanger Rose’s future.