Bella's POV
The following morning, Bella found herself standing in her small apartment's kitchen, absently stirring a cup of coffee as her mind drifted. She had managed to avoid thinking about the whirlwind that had come with seeing Ethan again. She had to. It was too much, too overwhelming.
The morning sun cast a soft glow through the window, but Bella couldn't shake the feeling of heaviness that had settled in her chest. Her mind kept returning to that moment the day before—when she had introduced Ethan to the twins.
Her heart had been a tangled mess of emotions. A part of her had wanted to shield her children from the inevitable storm that would come if they got too close to Ethan, but another part of her was hesitant to deny them the chance to know their father.
The twins—Aiden and Aria—had been so open, so innocent in their approach to Ethan. Aiden had immediately latched onto him, full of questions and curiosity. Aria had been more reserved, her sharp eyes taking in Ethan with cautious interest. But despite her quiet nature, even Aria had seemed to recognize the bond between them.
And then there was Ethan.
His gaze had softened when he saw them, a blend of awe and vulnerability that Bella hadn't expected. She had known he would care for them, but seeing it firsthand had stirred something deep inside her—a feeling she hadn't allowed herself to acknowledge in years. There was a part of her that wished, just for a moment, that they could go back to how things had once been before the lies, before the betrayal.
But Bella wasn't naïve. Too much had happened. Too much had been lost. She had to be careful, for her sake and for the twins. She couldn't allow herself to be swept up in the past again.
Her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, jolting her from her thoughts. It was a text message from Carmen.
Carmen: How are you holding up? Did you talk to Ethan?
Bella stared at the screen, biting her lip. She hadn't had a chance to process the meeting with Ethan fully, let alone speak with Carmen about it. As much as she wanted to confide in her best friend, she had been avoiding it. Her emotions were a mess, and she wasn't sure she was ready to voice everything she was feeling just yet.
She quickly typed back.
Bella: I'm fine. It's just... a lot. I don't know how to feel right now.
She hesitated before adding more. The truth was, she felt like she was standing on the edge of a precipice. One wrong move, one wrong decision, and everything could come crashing down. She had to protect her children from the chaos that was bound to follow. And Ethan—he would have to prove that he was ready for this responsibility.
The phone buzzed again, and Carmen's next message made her heart twist.
Carmen: You deserve happiness, Bella. The twins deserve to know their dad. But I get it, you're scared. Just take it slow. Don't let fear make decisions for you.
Bella stared at the words, feeling a lump form in her throat. Carmen always knew what to say. But Bella wasn't sure she could take it slow. She had already let her guard down too many times in the past. Too many promises had been broken. Could she trust Ethan with her heart again, let alone the hearts of her children?
Before she could respond, a knock at the door made her jump.
She glanced at the clock—8:30 a.m. It was early for a visitor, but as she moved to answer the door, she already had an inkling of who it might be.
Her breath caught in her throat when she saw him standing there, his blue eyes sharp and intense as ever. Ethan.
"Ethan," she said, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice. "What are you doing here?"
He took a step forward, his posture tense yet steady. "I need to talk to you," he said quietly, his gaze flickering down to the twins' bedroom door. Bella had left it slightly ajar, the soft sounds of her children playing drifting through.
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she immediately felt the pull to retreat. "Not now," she said, shaking her head, though she could already feel herself unraveling. "The kids are—"
"I know," he interrupted gently, but there was a hint of frustration in his voice. "But we need to talk, Bella. We can't keep avoiding this. I can't just pretend like I'm not part of their lives. They're mine, too."
She froze. His words cut deep. As much as she had tried to avoid this moment, it had arrived. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but hearing him say it so plainly made everything real.
"You're right," she said softly, her voice faltering as she stepped back to allow him inside. "They're yours too." The words felt like a weight on her tongue, but there was a bitterness to them that she hadn't expected. She couldn't help it. It hurt. It hurt that he had walked away for so long, and now, when everything was different, he wanted back in.
Ethan walked inside, his gaze scanning the apartment before locking onto her again. "I'm not asking for a quick fix. I'm not asking to walk into their lives and pretend like everything's fine. I'm asking for a chance, Bella. A chance to prove that I want to be here for you. For them."
Her heart clenched at the sincerity in his eyes. Bella turned her back on him for a moment, walking to the counter and trying to collect herself. "You don't get to just waltz back in," she said, though her voice lacked the force she wished it had. "You don't get to act like everything can be fixed because you say it's time to fix it."
"I know," he said, his voice rough now, more vulnerable than she'd ever heard it. "And I'm not asking for forgiveness. Not yet. But I'm here, Bella. And I'm not going anywhere."
She turned to face him, meeting his gaze, feeling the weight of his words. "What do you want from me, Ethan?" she asked, her voice soft, but the uncertainty was there. "I can't just... forget what happened. I can't pretend like we're just picking up where we left off."
Ethan took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm not asking you to forget, Bella. I'm asking for a chance to show you that I'm not the same man I was. That I want to be there for you. For them. For everything we lost."
Bella closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. It was all so much, too much to process in one sitting. But there was something in his voice, something raw and genuine, that made her hesitate. Was he really willing to fight for this? For them?
"Ethan," she began, opening her eyes to meet his once again. "This isn't just about you and me. This is about the kids. They deserve stability. They deserve a father who doesn't let them down."
Ethan nodded slowly, the weight of her words settling on him. "And I'll be that father, Bella. I swear it."
The silence between them stretched, but in that moment, Bella felt the possibility of a future—a future she hadn't allowed herself to hope for in years.
The storm was coming, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like maybe she wouldn't have to face it alone.