I thought he’d be happy, but I didn’t expect the
CEO of a major corporation to sound like a
giddy teenager when I called.
Olivia grinned. “See? You’re happy. Liam’s
ecstatic. Problem solved.” Then she started
laughing. “The thought of how miserable
Ethan’s going to be makes me so happy.”
“Maybe not. He’s probably already moved on.” I
smiled faintly. “Olivia, let’s not talk about him
anymore.” It felt strange saying those words,
<
like Ethan was finally, truly, in the past.
Liam’s car pulled up as we left the bar. He
stood there, bathed in the streetlights, his arms
open. He looked good. Really good.
Men could juggle multiple women, cheat, move
on without a second thought. I deserved to
move on too. I walked towards him, and he
strode towards me. We kissed, oblivious to the
people passing by. His heart was racing
beneath my hand. The back of his neck was
burning hot.
“Liam, are you sick?”
His forehead rested against mine, his breath
coming in short gasps. “Chloe, I don’t know
what it is about you, but…”
I laughed, standing on tiptoe to kiss his chin.
“Maybe…a few more times and you’ll figure it
out?”
く
His ears went even redder. He cupped my face,
his eyes burning into mine. “Chloe…where do
we stand?”
I teased him, “What do you think?”
“Friends with benefits? Or…boyfriend?” He didn’t wait for an answer, burying his face in my neck. “Never mind, don’t tell me. I don’t
want to know right now.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him closer. “Really? You sure you don’t want to
know? Boyfriend…”
Ethan parked his car at the end of the alley and
walked towards the back, where an elderly tailor
lived. The man, whose ancestors had worked
for the imperial court, had long since retired,
but Ethan knew how to persuade him. He’d
brought Chloe’s shredded wedding dress here
two weeks ago, and it was almost finished.
<
He remembered Jake’s words. Every girl
dreamed of wearing a wedding dress. He’d
been with Chloe for seven years and hadn’t
even considered proposing. He hadn’t realized
she’d been thinking about it. He’d been a jerk.
Those other women…they’d been fleeting
distractions. He’d dumped Ashley after three
days. She’d been a novelty, nothing more. He
missed Chloe.
He’d been listless, unmotivated. All he could
think about was her. When he was with his
friends, his mind wandered. When he drank too
much, he missed her nagging concern, her late-
night soups, the way she’d let him rest his head
on her lap while she massaged his temples. Her
soft fingers, her gentle scolding…it had
annoyed him at the time. Now, he craved it.
He decided he would propose when she came
back. He knew how much she wanted to marry
him. A wedding, a commitment…that would
reassure her, wouldn’t it? That would make her
<
The tailor had done an impeccable job. The
dress looked brand new. As Ethan paid him, his
phone rang. A sudden surge of anxiety shot
through him until he saw Jake’s name on the
screen. “Ethan, I need to tell you something. But
promise you won’t freak out. It might just be a
rumor.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Chloe…you know what? Forget it.
It’s probably nothing.”
“Jake, what are you babbling about? Did Chloe
come back to LA…?”
“Ethan…” Jake felt a pang of sympathy. Of all
people, why did it have to be Liam? Ethan and
Liam had been rivals for years, their animosity
reaching a boiling point two years ago over a
major business deal. Liam had won, leaving
Ethan with his first taste of defeat. It had
soured their already strained relationship.
<
“Just…promise you won’t overreact. It’s just
hearsay…”
“Someone saw Chloe in New York.”
Ethan’s grip tightened on his phone. “So?
What’s she doing in New York?”
“She’s…with Liam.”
“Maybe they just had dinner or something.”
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”
“Ethan…”
“If that’s all, I’m hanging up.”
Ethan stared at the beautifully wrapped box
containing Chloe’s wedding dress as he walked
back to his car. He stopped, a smirk spreading
across his face. He tossed the box into a
nearby trash can.
<
Two months after Chloe left. Ethan texted her.
The message went through, but there was no reply. “Thinking of selling the apartment. What do you want me to do with your clothes?”
Maybe he’d forgotten her note. Maybe it was
just an excuse to contact her, a subtle invitation
for her to come crawling back. He was easily
appeased, after all.
Chloe didn’t respond. The apartment wasn’t
sold. Her clothes, her belongings, remained
untouched, as if she’d never left. Ethan often
found himself there late at night, lying in her
bed, unable to sleep.
Three months later, as the clock neared
midnight, he called her.
Chloe had always been a good girl, from a
loving, albeit ordinary family. Her beauty had
made her parents protective. They’d lived
together for a little over a year after college. He
remembered that first night. She’d been so
<
nervous, her body trembling, her skin Tlushed. She’d been breathtakingly beautiful, fragile
beneath him. Afterwards, she’d cried, begging him not to hurt her, to marry her, to stay with her forever.
That innocent Chloe, who believed in forever, was long gone. He couldn’t even remember her expression the last time they’d broken up. Had she smiled, or had she cried?
The phone rang and rang. He was about to give up when she answered. He’d meant to ask her to come back, but what came out was, “Chloe,
haven’t you had enough drama? Come home…”
A man’s low chuckle interrupted him, sending a chill down his spine.
“Ethan, you can’t leave a girl hanging. Someone
might just scoop her up.”
“Liam?” Ethan spat out the name.
“The one and only.”
“Put Chloe on the phone!” Ethan’s voice was tight, his eyes burning.
76
“Can’t. She’s still out. Gotta wake her up first.”
Liam kissed Chloe’s tear–stained cheek. Her lips were swollen, her face etched with a trace of sadness, even in sleep. He kissed her
eyelashes, wiping away the lingering tear.
“Ethan…” Ethan’s voice trailed off. Liam hung
up, turning off his phone. He kissed Chloe’s
lips. “Baby, wake up…”
