Chapter 23

I remained frozen in place long after Ethan Blackwood walked out. The walls seemed to press in around me, suffocating me with their weight. There was no escape from the agony tearing through my chest.

Every breath hurt. Every thought was a blade twisting deeper.

Why was this happening to me? The question looped endlessly in my mind, but there were no answers. No explanations for why my life was unraveling even after finally getting the man I loved.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, hot and relentless. I hated this weakness—this inability to control my emotions. Angrily, I swiped at my face, furious at myself for letting them fall.

When Daddy passed away, I shattered. He had been my hero, my guiding light. Though our time together was limited after I moved away, every moment with him had been golden.

I thought I’d never recover from his loss. That the pain would consume me forever.

Then Ethan reappeared. He told me about his divorce from Sophia and asked for a second chance.

I had loved him since I was old enough to understand what love meant. Even after he destroyed me, that love never faded. It burned through nine years of separation—a relentless, unyielding fire.

My family had kept me updated on Ethan and Sophia’s marriage. Despite her efforts, he remained distant. Cold. Unmoved. He never loved her. He always asked about me. His feelings were obvious.

So why was he suddenly so invested in her life now? Had my family missed something? None of this made sense.

I stood abruptly, pacing like a caged animal. The unanswered questions were driving me mad. I needed clarity. I needed to talk to someone who understood.

Grabbing my phone, I dialed the one person who knew every detail of my life. She answered immediately.

"Hey, darling," Evelyn’s cheerful voice greeted. "How’s happily ever after treating you?"

Evelyn had been my rock since university. After Ethan broke my heart, she pulled me back from the edge. Without her, I would have drowned in depression and failed my classes. I owed her everything.

"Not great," I whispered.

I had believed everything was finally falling into place. That I would get my happy ending. Instead, I was drowning in doubt.

"What do you mean?" Confusion laced her tone. "Ethan asked for another chance, didn’t he?"

She might as well join my club of confusion because I had no answers either.

"At first, yes. But now… I’m starting to question everything. His feelings. His intentions."

The thought that everyone might have been wrong about his love for me was unbearable. That maybe, just maybe, he had developed feelings for Sophia after all.

"Tell me what’s bothering you," she said gently. "We’ll figure it out."

I was a top-tier lawyer. I analyzed facts, built airtight cases, and dismantled opponents with precision. But when it came to Ethan, logic abandoned me.

"He’s obsessed with Sophia," I admitted. "He thinks I don’t know, but for weeks, he’s been calling her, checking on her. He hired bodyguards, bought her a new car, even arranged for someone to watch over her."

I had waited for him to tell me himself, but he never did. Why go to such lengths if he didn’t care about her? This wasn’t normal ex-husband behavior.

"Why would he do that?" Evelyn sounded baffled. "Did something happen to her?"

I exhaled sharply. "Apparently, she’s a target. She was shot at Daddy’s funeral, and weeks ago, her car was blown up. She was injured."

Personally, I believed Sophia orchestrated it all to steal Ethan’s attention back.

Evelyn sighed. "If I were there, I’d smack you, Isabella. You’re a damn lawyer, yet you think your sister would go that far just for Ethan?"

"Exactly because I’m a lawyer," I countered. "I’ve seen women destroy lives just to reclaim exes who’ve moved on."

Love made people insane. And Sophia? Insanity was her default setting.

As teenagers, she sabotaged every date, ruined my outfits, even dyed my hair green. She didn’t stop until she tore Ethan and me apart.

"I’m not her biggest fan," Evelyn admitted, "but even she wouldn’t go that low. Besides, didn’t she file for divorce?"

I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off.

"Listen, I get why you’re worried. But Ethan was married to her for nine years. They have a son. Even if he’s not in love with her, he still cares. Given what’s happened, his concern makes sense."

Logically, she was right. But my gut screamed otherwise.

"That’s not what bothers me," I said. "It’s how he reacts when he sees her with another man. There’s this cop—Daniel Carter. The two times we’ve seen them together, Ethan lost it. Today, he nearly broke my hand after spotting them outside a restaurant."

Silence stretched between us as I relived the moment. The raw fury in Ethan’s eyes. The way his grip turned crushing.

"Define lost it," Evelyn demanded.

"He looked possessed. Like he wanted to tear Daniel apart. That kind of rage? It’s not just concern. It’s jealousy. Possession. And that only happens when feelings run deep."

The possibility terrified me. Could he love her without realizing it?

Evelyn exhaled. "This is messy. From where I stand, you have two choices: walk away or fight for him. Everyone couldn’t have been wrong about his feelings for you."

My answer was instant. "I’m fighting. Sophia stole nine years from us. I won’t let her take him too."

A weighted pause. Then, softly: "If that’s your choice, then you have to come clean. You’ve buried the truth so long, you’ve started believing the lie. No relationship thrives on deception."

Her words struck like a physical blow. She was right. But the truth? It would destroy everything.

Pretending was safer. Because perfection was the only advantage I had over Sophia. And without it, I’d lose him forever.