Once you let me go

Soft laughter and clinking glasses filled the private dining room. Golden lights glowed over the long table, where guests chatted and raised their glasses in honor of Ethan Hale’s birthday. Mira sat beside him, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her wine glass. She smiled when people looked her way, but her heart felt heavy.

Chloe, Ethan’s secretary, sat across from them, her red dress gleaming under the lights. She was talking animatedly with Ethan’s friends—and laughing too loudly. Every now and then, Ethan leaned close to whisper something to her, and Chloe’s hand brushed his arm like it was an accident. Mira tried to ignore it.

After a while, she quietly pushed her chair back.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, her voice soft.

“Sure, sweetheart,” Ethan replied without looking at her, his eyes still on Chloe.

Mira stood and made her way toward the restroom. Inside, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her dark hair fell neatly over her shoulders, her lipstick still perfect, her smile still forced.

Just then, her phone buzzed. She glanced down—it was Lyra, her older sister.

She picked up with a small smile. “Hey, sissy.”

Lyra’s worried voice came through the speaker. “Mira, where are you?”

“At Ethan’s birthday dinner, of course,” Mira said, chuckling lightly. “It’s a small thing—just him, some of his friends, and… well, Chloe.”

“Chloe,” Lyra repeated, her tone sharp. “That woman again. Mira, Ethan treats you so badly. Why do you still cling to him? Why don’t you just leave and start over?”

Mira sighed softly. “I know he’s been distant lately, but I still believe he’ll change. Maybe he’s just stressed. You know how his work is.”

Lyra didn’t sound convinced. “I’m your elder sister, Mira. I don’t want to see you suffer like this. You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

Mira gave a small laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll be fine, sissy. Really. The guests are probably waiting for me—I should get back before they notice I’m gone.”

“All right,” Lyra said reluctantly. “Just… take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will.”

Mira ended the call, slipped the phone into her purse, and stared at her reflection again. “You’ll be fine,” she whispered to herself. She forced a smile and walked out.

As she approached the dining room, the sound of laughter grew louder. She was about to step inside when she heard her name—spoken by Chloe.

“Ethan,” Chloe said with a teasing lilt, “you really do love Mira, don’t you?”

Mira froze behind the door.

Ethan’s voice came, smooth and cold. “Love? No. I don’t. I’m just keeping her close because she acts like a damn puppy who can’t live without her owner.”

Mira’s heart dropped. Her breath caught in her throat.

Chloe laughed. “Ethan, back in high school, you two were so close. Everyone thought you’d end up together because you were madly in love.”

Ethan scoffed. “Close? I was only close to her because you kept ignoring me, Chloe. I loved you—you know that. You were the only one I ever wanted. But you just kept playing with me.”

Chloe’s voice softened. “So you dated Mira to make me jealous?”

He smirked. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Chloe giggled, pretending to pout. “You went that far just to get me back? You’re unbelievable.”

Laughter rippled around the table.

Nathan, one of Ethan’s oldest friends, leaned back in his chair and said, “Come on, how do you expect Ethan—worth billions, mind you—to fall in love with a country bumpkin like Mira? She’s sweet, sure, but too plain. She doesn’t belong in our world.”

More laughter followed.

Chloe tilted her head. “Then why did you marry her?”

Ethan took a slow sip of his drink before answering. “My father wanted me to settle down before handing me the company. Mira was obsessed with me anyway, so it was easy. And you,” he said, locking eyes with Chloe, “were out of the country then. I had no choice but to play along.”

Chloe smiled slyly and reached across the table, her fingers brushing his tie. “Well,” she murmured, “I’ve always kept myself for you, Ethan. Even if I made mistakes.”

The table erupted in cheers and teasing voices. “Awwwn!” someone called out.

Behind the door, Mira stood frozen. Her eyes blurred with tears, her body trembling. The laughter felt like knives against her skin.

She bit her lip, trying to stop the sob from escaping. Her vision clouded as she slowly turned away from the door.

Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she walked down the hallway. Each step echoed, heavy and hollow.

She didn’t look back. She couldn’t.

Outside, rain poured hard against the pavement. The night air was cold, biting at her soaked skin as she stepped into the open.

Her thoughts spiraled.

All these years, she had loved him so blindly. From high school until now, she had believed in him—believed he would see her heart one day. She’d endured his silence, his mood swings, his absence. She told herself he was just tired, just busy, just burdened by work.

But the truth was worse.

He never loved her.

Every word she’d heard replayed in her mind, cutting deeper each time.

“I’m just keeping her close because she acts like a damn puppy…”

“Country bumpkin…”

“Too poor…”

“Had to marry her to get my inheritance…”

Mira clutched her chest as the tears finally broke free. The rain hid her sobs, washing them away.

Her heels splashed through puddles as she walked aimlessly down the empty street. Her mind was blank. She didn’t care where she was going; she just needed to get away—from the noise, from the laughter, from the betrayal that burned in her chest.

Headlights appeared in the distance, glowing faintly through the rain.

She barely noticed.

Her body trembled from cold and heartbreak. She whispered to herself through chattering teeth, “Why, Ethan? Why did you do this to me?”

The rain grew heavier, blurring her vision. She could barely see the road ahead.

Somewhere behind her, music still floated from the restaurant. Ethan’s laughter echoed faintly in her memory.

Her legs felt weak. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest.

She stepped onto the street without thinking.

The sound of tires screeching broke through the downpour.

She turned her head just in time to see a pair of blinding headlights rushing toward her.

Her eyes widened.

The car horn blared.

There wasn’t enough time to move.

The last thing Mira heard was the screech of brakes and the shattering sound of glass as everything went white.

Mira opened her eyes slowly. The room was bright and white. Her head felt heavy, and when she tried to move, pain shot through her temples. A soft bandage wrapped around her forehead.

She blinked several times, trying to remember where she was. Then it came rushing back — the rain, the headlights, the sound of screeching tires.

She tried to sit up, but her arms felt weak.

Just then, a nurse walked into the room, holding a small metal tray. “Please, ma’am,” she said gently, walking closer. “Don’t sit up yet. You need to rest.”

Mira nodded weakly and leaned back against the pillow.

Before she could ask any questions, the door burst open. Ethan rushed in, followed by Chloe and a few of his friends.

Ethan’s expression looked tense as he hurried to her bedside. “Mira,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Mira stared at him, unsure how to feel. Was this sudden concern real, or just another act?

Before she could speak, Chloe moved quickly to her side. She sat down on the edge of the bed and took Mira’s left hand gently. “Mira,” she said sweetly, “we were so worried about you last night. We waited for you at the table, but you never came back. Then we got a call that you were admitted here.”

Chloe turned to glance at Ethan before continuing. “Ethan wanted to come last night, but I… well, I fell and twisted my ankle.” She gave a fake little laugh. “He stayed to take care of me. I told him I’d be fine, but he refused to leave me alone.”

Her words were soft, but her smile carried pride, not guilt.