Elena stood before the bathroom mirror, taking deep breaths to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside her. Rachel's sudden appearance had shaken her more than she had expected. She had tried to brush it off, but the lingering unease gnawed at her.
Her reflection stared back at her, and she couldn't help but think: Was she just a temporary distraction for Ethan? A solution to his family problem? Or was there something deeper, something real between them?
The sound of the bathroom door creaking open interrupted her thoughts. She spun around, startled to find Ethan standing in the doorway, his expression concerned yet distant.
"Elena, are you okay?" Ethan asked gently, stepping into the room with a quiet hesitation. His voice held a softness she hadn't heard from him in a while, but his eyes were guarded, as if he knew the conversation they were about to have would change things.
"I'm fine," Elena replied, forcing a smile. "Just… needed a moment. It's nothing."
Ethan studied her carefully, sensing the tension in the air. "Don't lie to me, Elena. I saw the way you reacted when Rachel showed up. I know it's uncomfortable, but I didn't think it would affect you like this."
Elena bit her lip, the words she had been holding back bubbling up. She couldn't ignore it any longer. The questions, the insecurities—she had to know where they stood, or else she would drive herself mad.
"Ethan, why didn't you tell me Rachel was coming? Why didn't you warn me about… her?" Elena's voice cracked just a little, the vulnerability slipping through. She looked at him with a mixture of frustration and fear. "I need to understand. Is she still important to you? Did you ever truly move on from her?"
Ethan's face softened, and for a moment, he didn't speak. He walked closer to Elena, his eyes searching hers. "Elena…" he began, but his words trailed off as if he was unsure of how to explain what had been so complicated in his heart.
"I thought we had a deal, Ethan," Elena said, her voice low but steady. "We agreed on a contract marriage. I thought that was all it was. But seeing you with her—seeing how she looks at you, how she knows you—makes me wonder if I'm just a placeholder until she comes back into the picture."
Ethan reached out, his hand brushing against hers, sending a shiver through Elena's body. "You're not a placeholder, Elena. You never were." His voice was firm, but there was a softness there, too, as if he was trying to convey something unspoken. "Rachel is a part of my past. She was in my life a long time ago, and yes, there are unresolved things between us. But that's all it is—past. You… you're my present. And I want to be with you. I want to make this work."
Elena looked at him, her heart pounding. She could feel his sincerity, but the fear of being hurt again made it difficult to completely let her guard down. "But what about her?" she whispered, her gaze locking with his. "What if she decides she wants you back? What if I'm just a temporary solution for you?"
Ethan's expression hardened for a moment, his jaw clenched as though the thought of Rachel getting back into his life was a source of frustration. "If Rachel had any real claim on me, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." He took a step closer, closing the space between them. "I married you, Elena. I chose you. Not because of some family obligation or some business deal, but because I care about you. You're not temporary, and neither is this marriage. I don't know how else to prove that to you."
Tears welled up in Elena's eyes, but she fought them back, not wanting to appear weak. She had been hurt before, and though she wanted to believe him, it wasn't easy.
"But what if I'm not enough?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "What if you're only doing this because you have to? Because of the will?"
Ethan shook his head vehemently. "No, Elena. I don't need anyone else to tell me who I should be with. Not even my father's will. This is about us." He gently cupped her face in his hands, his thumb tracing her cheek. "You're enough. You've always been enough."
The tenderness in his voice cracked something inside Elena, and before she could stop herself, she reached up, her hands pulling him down to meet her lips in a kiss.
It wasn't rushed or desperate; it was slow, deliberate, full of emotion. The kiss was everything they had been dancing around for weeks—unspoken feelings, hidden desires, and a longing for something more.
When they finally pulled away, Elena looked up at him, her heart still racing. "Then why does it feel so complicated?"
Ethan sighed, his forehead resting against hers. "Because we're both afraid. But we'll figure it out, Elena. Together."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Elena felt a sense of peace settle in her chest. Maybe they didn't have all the answers, but for now, she was willing to take the leap.