Chapter 22

Mia's heart raced as Ethan's words hung in the air, thick with tension. She felt a surge of anger and protectiveness for Lily, but there was also a flicker of curiosity at Ethan's question. She crossed her arms, her expression defiant.

“What do you mean, ‘Was that child mine?' 'You know damn well what you did,” she spat, her voice laced with venom.

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. “I need to know, Mia. I can’t shake the feeling that I made a terrible mistake. I didn’t want to believe it was mine, but now... I just need to know for sure.”

Mia glared at him, her voice sharp as a blade. “You think you can just waltz back into Lily’s life after everything you’ve done? You have no right to demand answers from her or anyone else. You need to ask yourself what you did and who paid the price. You killed your own child, Ethan. You abandoned your wife, thinking she cheated on you!”

Ethan opened his mouth to protest, but Mia cut him off, her voice rising with each word. “You have no idea how much she has loved you since childhood! She would never cheat on you. She loved you with all her heart, and what did you give her? Nothing but pain! You threw it all away!”

Ethan’s eyes widened, guilt washing over him, but Mia wasn’t done. “There will come a day when you crawl back to her, begging for her forgiveness after you’re left alone by your so-called love. And on that day, she will not forgive you. Because she deserves someone better than you!”

With that, Mia turned on her heel and slammed the door in his face, the sound echoing in the hallway.

Ethan stood there, stunned, his heart pounding in his chest. The weight of Mia’s words crashed over him like a wave, leaving him breathless. He felt the sting of regret and shame clawing at his insides.

As Ethan walked away from the door, his mind was a turbulent sea of memories and emotions. He couldn’t shake the vivid images of the night he had spent with Lily—intimate moments that had unfolded in a haze of alcohol and misguided affection. The warmth of her embrace, and the fleeting joy they had shared felt like a distant dream, overshadowed by the reality of their fractured relationship.

Leaning against the cold wall of the corridor, he closed his eyes, grappling with the truth. “I never really loved her,” he thought, the realization cutting deep. Their marriage had been a forced union, a decision made out of obligation rather than genuine connection. He had never harbored feelings for Lily since childhood; she had been a part of his life because of circumstances, not choice.

In his mind, he replayed the moments leading up to their marriage—the pressure from family, the expectations that had suffocated him. He had gone along with it; he knew he had been living a lie. The night they had shared intimacy had been fueled by alcohol and a desperate attempt to connect, but it had only left him feeling emptier.

“Maybe she was telling the truth,” he thought, a wave of guilt washing over him. He had accused her of betrayal, convinced that she had been unfaithful, but now he recognized that his actions had stemmed from his own insecurities and fears. He had abandoned her, believing the worst without ever seeking the truth.

The memory of signing the divorce papers weighed heavily on his heart. He had left Lily for Sarah, his first love, who was now pregnant with his child. The decision had felt like a chance to reclaim a past he thought he had lost, but standing in the aftermath of his choices, Ethan realized he had only compounded his mistakes.

“I ended my marriage without truly understanding what I was doing,” he thought, the words echoing in his mind like a cruel mantra. He had walked away from Lily, thinking it would free him, but instead, he had only created deeper wounds for both of them.

Taking a deep breath, Ethan felt the urgency to address the past. “I need to ask for forgiveness,” he whispered to the empty hallway. It was a small step, but it felt monumental. He owed it to Lily to acknowledge the hurt he had caused, to express the remorse that had been festering inside him since the day he walked away.

Yet, he also understood that forgiveness might not come easily. Lily had every right to be angry, to resent him for the pain he had caused. He had shattered her trust, and the road to redemption would be long and fraught with challenges.

But as he stood there, he recognized that it was time for both of them to move on. Lily had a life ahead of her, one filled with potential and hope. She deserved happiness, and he didn’t want to be a ghost of her past that haunted her future.

Ethan thought of Sarah. They were set to marry soon, to start a new life together. He felt a flicker of excitement at the thought of fatherhood, of building a family. But he also knew that he couldn’t carry the guilt and grudge against Lily into this new chapter. It wasn’t fair to either of them.

“I need to let go,” he resolved. The decision wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. He had to free himself from the burden of his past mistakes and embrace the life that lay ahead, one filled with hope and new beginnings.

With a newfound sense of clarity, Ethan turned away from the door and walked down the hallway. He knew he had to confront his past, to seek forgiveness from Lily, not just for her sake, but for his own.