Chapter 69

The silence between us was suffocating. Lunch had been painfully awkward, neither of us speaking a word. My mind was still reeling from Ethan’s apology. I didn’t know what he expected from me, but forgiveness was off the table—at least for now.

After we finished eating, he drove me home. The car ride was just as quiet, both of us lost in our thoughts. I didn’t know how to process this new version of him. It was unsettling, to say the least.

"Thank you," I said as we pulled up to my house. "For coming to the appointment and for lunch."

"It was nothing," he replied, attempting a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

I nodded and reached for the door handle, but his hand caught mine, stopping me.

"I want you to tell me about all your future appointments," he said, his gaze intense.

I stared at him, baffled. "Why the hell would I do that?" I yanked my hand away. His touch burned, sending an unwanted shiver down my spine.

"Because I want to be there for you," he answered simply.

"And again, why? You weren’t there when I was pregnant with Liam, but now you want to show up for a baby that isn’t even yours? Do you hear how insane that sounds?"

He was messing with my head, and I hated it. I hated feeling uncertain. I hated that he was acting so out of character.

Not to mention, I didn’t need drama with Isabella. If she found out Ethan was attending my doctor’s visits, all hell would break loose.

"I just want to be there. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Actually, yes. Let’s be real, Ethan. You’ve never cared about me." I sighed. "That’s putting it mildly—you downright despised me. So this sudden concern? Unbelievable."

He didn’t respond immediately, just kept staring at me with that unnerving intensity. The longer he did, the more I fidgeted under his piercing gaze.

"Just tell me," he finally said. "Because one way or another, I’ll find out, and I’ll show up—just like today."

"Have you considered how this will affect your relationship with Isabella? How she’ll feel?"

I was using her as a shield, but right now, she was my best bet at making him see reason.

"Isabella doesn’t fucking matter right now," he growled, his eyes turning icy.

My jaw dropped. Never in a million years did I think I’d hear him say that.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I demanded. "Do you hear yourself? How can you say she doesn’t matter when you’ve been in love with her your entire life?"

The surprises just kept coming. Every word out of his mouth felt like it was rewriting the reality I knew.

His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring at the mention of his decade-long obsession with Isabella.

"Drop it," he snarled.

So, she was still a sore subject. Not that it surprised me. Sooner or later, they’d make up. Isabella never gave up on what she wanted, and Ethan had never been able to resist her.

Done with the conversation, I pushed the car door open and stepped out. I was halfway to my front door when his voice stopped me.

"Remember what I said, Sophia. I’ll be at every appointment—whether you tell me or not."

With that, he sped off, leaving me standing there, stunned. His forcefulness was getting under my skin. Why couldn’t he just go back to ignoring me?

I was almost at my door when movement caught my eye. A man was watering his lawn across the street. He turned, as if sensing my stare, and our eyes locked.

He was undeniably attractive, but that wasn’t what held my attention. There was something familiar about him—I just couldn’t place where I’d seen him before.

Shaking off the thought, I offered him a polite smile before heading inside.

"Mommy, you’re home!" Liam shouted the second I walked in.

Since my appointment had been in the afternoon, I’d asked Gabriella, his nanny, to pick him up from school. She wasn’t live-in—she only came when I was tied up.

"How was school?" I asked, setting my bag down.

"Awesome! I aced my math test!"

"That’s my genius boy," I teased, making him blush.

"Mom," he groaned. "Stop."

"What? It’s true. I’m so proud of you."

He flashed me a mischievous grin, and I knew exactly where this was going.

"Can I play video games since I’m a math genius?"

I sighed. "Fine. One hour."

He bolted upstairs, yelling thanks over his shoulder, making me smile.

"Gabriella, you’re free to go," I called out as I walked into the kitchen.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Go enjoy your evening."

She smiled and gathered her things. Fifteen minutes later, she was gone, and I immediately regretted sending her away.

With Liam occupied, I was alone with my thoughts—and they were spiraling.

I was about to start dinner early when the front door swung open.

"Yoohoo! Sophia, where are you?"

Amelia’s voice brought an instant smile to my face.

"Kitchen!" I called back.

Moments later, she walked in, followed by Natalie. I blinked in surprise.

"Look who I ran into! We got here at the same time," Amelia said, plopping onto a stool.

I’d told Amelia how Natalie had defended me against Cassandra. She’d instantly taken a liking to her, saying anyone who stood up for me had her respect.

"What brings you here?" I asked Natalie.

"You gave me an opening at the restaurant, so I took it. I’ve always wanted to be your friend, so… here I am."

Part of me was skeptical, wanting to shut her out. But I pushed that instinct down. It was time to stop pushing people away.

"Welcome to my humble abode," I said with a genuine smile.

Amelia leaned forward. "Okay, but real talk—have you seen the gossip column? It went up an hour ago."

"No. Why?"

She handed me her phone. My stomach dropped as I read the headline:

[Billionaire Ethan Blackwood Spotted on Lunch Date with Ex-Wife Sophia Sterling Months After Divorce—Weeks After Rumors of Him Dating Her Sister, Isabella Sterling]

Beneath it was a photo of Ethan guiding me into the restaurant, his hand on the small of my back.

"Shit," I muttered. "This is going to cause so much drama."

Isabella would lose it. I wasn’t afraid of her, but I didn’t need the trouble. The photo made it look intimate—something it absolutely wasn’t.

"Is there something going on that I don’t know about?" Amelia asked while Natalie watched us curiously.

"Nothing. He showed up unannounced at my appointment and asked to talk over lunch." I recounted everything, including his apology.

By the time I finished, I was even more confused. None of it made sense, no matter how I looked at it.

"What if he’s genuinely sorry?" Amelia asked.

That was the question I’d been avoiding. I wasn’t ready to face it.

"I don’t know," I admitted. "Forgiveness has to be earned, and so far, he hasn’t done anything to deserve it. All he’s done is leave me with more questions."

How was I supposed to move on? For nine years, he’d made sure I knew he hated me. Now, suddenly, he was sorry? It didn’t feel real.

"What do you think, Natalie?" Amelia asked.

Natalie had been quiet, but now she spoke softly. "I think these are the actions of a man who doesn’t realize he’s in love."

I burst out laughing. "Good one. Ethan doesn’t love me."

Had they forgotten the way he’d stormed into my house, defending Isabella?

"Think about it," Natalie insisted.

Amelia nodded. "She might be right. Why else would he suddenly care? Unless he always did and just never realized. And why now, after the divorce? Maybe losing you made him face his feelings."

I didn’t want to hear it. Instead of responding, I changed the subject.

The rest of the evening was perfect. We laughed, talked, and for the first time, I felt like Natalie was truly part of our circle.

But despite the fun, their words lingered in my mind.

Ethan couldn’t possibly love me.

They had to be wrong.

Because Ethan Blackwood had only ever loved one woman—and her name was Isabella Sterling.