Page 50 of Enemies Under One Roof

A tear leaked out and she rubbed it away.

That was in the past. Just like the time they’d spent working through plans for the charity, sorting through Ruby’s things, and hours in this very room, in this very bed, in his arms, talking, laughing, loving.

She bent over and wrapped her arms around herself, the memories stabbing at her cruelly.

Turning back to her wardrobe for one last handful of clothes, she spotted her yellow scarf. Lifting it carefully out of its plastic, she hugged it to her face, convinced she could still smell her mum, hear her soothing voice and receive her wise counsel.

Please help me, Mum, even though I don’t deserve it.

Tell me how to leave Ethan and still retain my soul.

She pressed her hand to her mouth to cover her sob.

Give me the strength to always keep my pact, because it’s the only way I can truly honour you and Dad.

‘I brought you some soup and painkillers.’ Ethan’s voice carried from the hallway.

She swung around. He wasn’t meant to come back upstairs and certainly not see her like this.

He stalled at the doorway. ‘What’s going on?’ His knowing eyes went from her to the scarf, then over to her messy bed.

Terror gripped hold of her.

‘I’m leaving for London tonight, alone,’ she said with an obvious hateful desperation she couldn’t hide. She had to get away from him, before she threw herself into his arms and told him all the things she had no right to confess.

‘Tonight? Alone?’ he repeated, as if his usual sharpness had deserted him, stepped into the room and put down the tray.

‘Yes. Now. This was…’ Everything. Her mouth dropped open, fearing she’d said the word out loud. Because it had been everything and more. But he couldn’t know that. She swallowed and tried again.

Dropping her scarf, which she had no right to take, on top of the pile of clothes, she grabbed her half-packed case and slammed it shut, with no idea what was in it.

‘This was okay,’ she croaked, waving a hand between them. ‘But I’ve had enough now.’

‘Okay? Enough?’ He pulled on his earlobe like he was having trouble hearing.

Her eyes smarted and temptation pummelled her.

Tell him everything.

Your feelings for him.

What you’ve done.

Find a way to make it work.

The day she’d stood at her parents’ graveside, she’d thought nothing could ever again hurt her as much, but she’d been wrong. Now it was like she’d glimpsed paradise and the door had been slammed shut, never to reopen.

Hardening her resolve, she forced herself to look directly at him and twisted the knife further into her own heart, calling on every skill she’d learnt through years of acting.

‘Our time is over, effective now. I’ve no interest in seeing you again, except in relation to WillowGlen. Am I being clear enough?’

He stiffened and every drop of colour leached from his face.

‘Crystal,’ he growled, like the word had been wrenched from the pits of hell, his chest heaving like he’d just outrun a firing squad.

Bile charged up her throat. She hadn’t thought she could feel any worse than this, yet seeing the sweat beading on his forehead, the look in his tormented eyes, she did. And she didn’t know how she’d ever forgive herself for doing this to him.

She knew then, there’d be no going back. They were done, for good.