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“Olivia, it’s in Parker’s best interest if Jessica and I try to work things out,” he said, his tone filled with resignation. “I know it’s?—”
“Fine,” I cut him off, pushing him away. “Just stop.”
I stormed toward the bed, throwing the blanket on the floor, and began to get dressed. Despite my efforts, furious tears welled up in my eyes, and they were impossible to hold back.
“Olivia, please listen?—”
“Ethan, please stop!” I snapped, trying my best to hide my tears. Once I finished putting on my clothes, I stormed out of his house, vowing never to return.
Once outside, the tears began to stream down my face like an open faucet. I constantly dabbed at them, but it was useless. My heart was shattered and I didn’t know how to cope, so I called Naomi.
She picked up on the first ring. “Hey, Olivia.”
“We broke up!” I blurted out, not caring if others overheard.
“What?” Naomi exclaimed.
“He wants to go back to his ex-fiancée because his son needs both his mother and father.” I sniffled, blinking away the tears. “I-I’m . . . I don’t even know what to do.”
“Where are you?” Naomi asked urgently. “I’ll come pick you up.”
I told her where I was and sat at the bus stop, waiting for her. When she finally arrived, Naomi wore a permanent scowl on her face, radiating anger. She didn’t ask any questions and simply let me into her car before driving off. Resting my head against the car window, I let the tears flow freely, memories of our short time together flooding my mind.
“Every moment is precious, Olivia and I’m not going to waste any of it.”
With Ethan, each and every moment had been precious and now they were nothing more than memories I desperately wanted to push away. Dabbing my eyes, I tried to reduce the tears, but they continued to cascade down my cheeks. I had believed that we were heading somewhere in our relationship and we had a future together, but suddenly everything changed. I could have sworn he loved me, but he obviously didn’t. If only I hadn’t let myself fall in love with him so quickly, I wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
“Olivia, it’s in Parker’s best interest if Jessica and I try to work things out between us.”
The words sent a surge of pain through my body, and I felt my heart tightening in my chest. Clutching my chest, I tried to alleviate the pain, but it persisted. A hand gently touched mine, and I turned to find Naomi looking at me with compassionate eyes. She squeezed my hand reassuringly, and amidst my tears, I managed to smile, feeling genuinely loved.
16
Ethan
The resounding slam of my apartment door told me everything I needed to know. Olivia had left, her anger palpable. And somehow, it felt like she was leaving my life for good.
“Ethan, please stop!” Her words echoed in my mind, carrying the finality that couldn’t be mistaken. Olivia was done with me, and the thought pained me deeply. I slumped onto the couch, my hand instinctively reaching for my chest, trying to ease the ache in my heart. There was no turning back now; I had to do what was best for my son.
My son. The word still sounded foreign to my ears and I still struggled to come to terms with the fact that I had a child somewhere, and with Jessica Gavin of all people. Out of all the individuals, it had to be with the one woman who upended my world and walked away without a care. How could I even go about working things out with her?
And how do I cope with my feelings for Olivia? Would it be possible for me to move on? I was lost, uncertain of what to do and whether letting Olivia go was the right decision. But for now, I needed to focus on exploring the possibilities with Parker and Jessica.
I stood up from the couch and quickly got dressed in casual attire—a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Grabbing my phone, I dialed Jessica’s number, though she didn’t answer on the first two attempts. It was on the third ring she finally answered.
“Ethan?” Her high-pitched voice carried surprise, nearly bursting my eardrums.
How on earth had I ever fallen in love with this woman? Everything about her was so off-putting. There was a time when the mere sound of her voice used to fill me with joy, but now it only left me nauseated. Was it even possible to overlook all she had done and reconcile with her? From the way I currently felt, I didn’t think it was possible.
“Where are you? Send me your address,” I instructed, not willing to entertain any excuses.
“What? Why?” Jessica blurted out before an awkward silence settled between us. To me, her question sounded foolish, as the answer seemed pretty obvious. She must have figured this out because she chuckled and said, “I’m staying at a hotel since I came here on such short notice.”
“The hotel, Jessica!” I said flatly.
“Evernight, room 432,” she said, clearing her throat afterward. “Will you be?—”
I didn’t bother to listen to whatever else she had to say. Instead, I hung up the call and picked up the car keys from my desk. Within moments, I was speeding through the bustling streets of New York City. As I reached the hotel, a rush of apprehension coursed through me, fully grasping the reality of my situation.
