CHAPTER THREE

LENA’S POV

Edward lets me leave the house on Tuesdays. That’s the rule. Groceries only. In and out. No stops.

“You ready?” Ethan asks, already in the car. I sling my bag over my shoulder. “I think so,” I say, sliding in beside him. He glances at me, calm as ever. “You look tense.”

I shrug. “I’m just… not used to being outside.” He doesn’t respond. He doesn’t have to. His silence has a way of grounding me, making the world feel less sharp.

The car hums along the streets. I watch people pass by some rushing, some laughing, some completely absorbed in themselves. I feel like an observer, like I don’t quite belong.

We arrived at the store. We weave through aisles. I grab a pack of tomatoes. Ethan picks up a loaf of bread.

“You always measure tomatoes like you’re inspecting a diamond,” he says. I freeze, then glare. “I’ve been locked in a house with one man for months. Let me be dramatic about produce.” He shakes his head. “Fair.”

I start to laugh, despite myself. The sound surprises me. Ethan catches it, eyes flicking to mine and I feel heat creep up my neck. He looks away like nothing happened, but the corner of his mouth twitches.

We turn the corner and a familiar voice calls out. “Lena?” I stop. My chest tightens. I turn to see Miriam, her hair tied back, wearing a bright jacket. My old friend. Someone I hadn’t seen in years. “Miri?” I say, stepping toward her.

She grins. “It’s been forever! Look at you. All… proper.” I blink. “Married. Proper.”

She laughs, not unkindly. “So I heard. You’ve gone from chaotic Lena to fancy Mrs. Edward.” I bite back a smile. “You’ve got a way of saying things like that.”

Ethan steps slightly forward, but not between us just behind, quietly watching. Miriam’s eyes flick to him.

“And you are?” she asks. “Ethan,” he says simply. Hand extended. Miriam shakes it briefly. “Nice to meet you,” she says, then turns her attention back to me. “So, tell me everything.”

I freeze. Everything? I can’t tell her about Edward, not even a hint. So I stick to small talk, carefully curated. “You look well,” I say instead. “Busy?”

“Oh, always. You know me. Still working at the café. Some things never change.” We walk down an aisle together, quickly moving past the prying eyes of other shoppers. Miriam starts pointing at things she knows I like. “Still buying the same cereal? Still obsessed with that weird brand of cheese?” I laugh aloud. “You remember.” “Of course I do. You never let anyone forget.”

Ethan watches, quiet. His presence is subtle but strong. I notice him watching me smile at Miriam. It makes something twist inside my chest. I push it down.

Miriam bumps my shoulder lightly. “And Ethan here… you always travel with bodyguards now? Or is he your official grocery partner?”

I freeze for a half-second. Ethan smirks faintly. Miriam notices it, raises an eyebrow.

“He’s my… assistant,” I say quickly. “I mean, he helps with errands. That’s all.” He doesn’t contradict me. He just walks beside me, calm and steady.

Miriam studies us for a moment. “You two are… close, huh?” “I will say we are just getting to know each other”

Ethan chuckles softly a low sound that I didn’t realize I liked hearing and Miriam laughs too. It feels easy, different from the tension I live with every day.

A cart almost tips over nearby. I flinch. Ethan steadies it without a word. My fingers brush his hand for just a second. He notices but doesn’t comment.

“You okay?” he asks quietly, eyes on mine. “Yes,” I say. I mean it. More than I expected to.

We continue through the aisles. Miriam teases me about life, asks about old friends, brings up stories from school. I tell one, just a quick memory and Ethan laughs lightly at my delivery just a brief sound, not overwhelming. But it makes my stomach do a weird flip.

I glance at him. He catches me looking. Just for a second, our eyes lock, then he looks away like nothing happened. My heart beats a little faster.

“Lena! Are you two conspiring without me?” Miriam’s voice cuts through, playful.

“Not at all,” I reply, though I glance at Ethan with a slight smile. He raises an eyebrow but says nothing.

We reach the checkout. Miriam talks to the cashier, making small jokes. I fumble with my wallet. Ethan stays back, letting me handle it, not rushing me.

“You always make things so complicated,” he says lightly when I finally finish. I glare at him. “You said you don’t intervene.”

“Yes but I didn’t say I can’t comment,” he replies and the corner of his mouth twitches again.

Miriam steps forward, touching my arm. “We should grab coffee sometime. Really talk. It’s been too long.” I nod quickly. “Yes. I’d like that.”

She gives me a quick hug. Ethan watches quietly, posture relaxed but attentive. I realize how much I’ve come to notice the little things about him the way he adjusts his stance, the slight tilt of his head when he listens.

She leaves, calling over her shoulder. “Don’t be a stranger, Lena!” The moment she’s gone, the aisle feels empty. I exhale, leaning slightly on the cart.

“You okay?” Ethan asks again, his voice low, calm. “Yes,” I say, this time truthfully. A little lighter than before. He doesn’t answer immediately. Just walks beside me. Side by side, quiet. I realize I’ve been holding my breath.

“You looked… different with her,” he says finally, quietly, almost teasing. “Different?” I repeat.

“Relaxed,” he says. “Laughing. Not thinking about anything else.” I glance at him, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “I don’t know if I can relax completely around you.”

He meets my eyes for a brief second. Something passes between us acknowledgment, recognition, a spark of understanding. Then he looks forward, driving, calm, steady.

We walk to the car. I slide in first, and he closes the door behind me. “You know,” I say softly, “it felt… good, seeing Miriam. Feeling normal, even for a moment.”

Ethan glances at me. “Good moments matter,” he says quietly. I nod, letting the words sink in. “Yeah. They do.”

He starts the car. The ride home is quiet, but it’s different from the morning. There’s no tension, no stiffness, no instructions. Just the hum of the engine and the sense that maybe, just maybe, I’m not entirely alone in this life.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel like someone sees me not the wife, not the possession, just Lena.

I catch his eye again for a split second. He doesn’t look away this time. I think I see a faint smile. And it’s enough. Enough to make me want more.