The Wrong Confession.

Bella

In this little life of mine, there were people who made me feel safe enough to say the things I shouldn't—Ethan was one of those people.

For me, that was the first warning I ignored.

His presence in the mansion was surreal and uncomfortable at first. He mostly came around when Ahex decided to work from his office at home.

It wasn't intentional to see him drop by. I was innocently seated in the garden while rebranding my event planning company and working on a small event contract.

It was my first contract after I got married. It was a moment to get reminded of the things I've always loved doing before my life took a big spin.

He took quick steps into the mansion building and this was me sitting outside the garden. I buried my face quickly when I saw him and after some seconds I began to question why I did that.

I acted like a little girl had just seen her crush after a long time.

“Are you hiding?" He called me out and sat across from me, joining me without any form of invitation. Like, I didn't want him around and I didn't know what reaction I would get when Alex would see me hanging around his best friend more often.

"I'm focusing on work,” I replied blandly, not sure about what energy he was going to decipher from that.

"Seems you really love planning events,” he complimented and I smirked shortly.

I lifted up my head and gave him all my attention at that point.

"It has always been my favorite thing to do. I love it so much.” I smiled when I dropped my laptop.

"I just came to see Alex, but it seems you have a lot to tell me about. You have to put me on,” he cheered.

In the longest time, no one has ever gotten so interested in knowing what my work was like. Not even Valerie.

I don't know why I was still around—maybe because of the fear of loneliness.

"When my father was so ill, I had to create this brand. It started so well, until I couldn't get gigs anymore. I found a big gig you know," I uttered, feeling the vulnerability creep through me.

"It started like a dream, and then I lost it after my father kicked the bucket,” my voice cracked and my sight got blurry.

“That's one more reason you should be forging along with this brand. You don't have to let it go. You have to watch it grow and don't you think your father would be so proud of you?" He replied, leaning forward to me.

I nodded in agreement and out of the lack of words because I held back my tears.

They ran down my cheeks like a broken River from an ocean and I sobbed silently.

Why was I even crying? Why couldn't I keep my emotions in check? The more I asked myself, the Lord I continued sobbing.

Then I remembered that I was pregnant.

Ohh, the lost boat. Ethan grabbed me and gave me a long side hug.

It felt like I wasn't touched in a million days—like in forever.

That was how the small talk became a two hour conversation.

"And that was how this marriage was cooked. I had nothing else to do to prevent the bank from taking my father's house."

" I was going to be broken because those were all the memories I had sat in." I continued.

“It's so good you didn't let them take it and no one is going to judge you for that. You are a beautiful strong woman,” he consoled me.

All this warmth was just going to happen today? Was I always going to stay in the garden all day long?

“I knew it was you. I know you met Alex before at the club,” he confessed out of the blue.

It felt like he was building trust to know if he had to reveal the truth to me.

"You guys spent the night together and he was left with a bracelet. I saw you when you entered the club and that bracelet was on you,” he added.

"And Alex? Does he really not remember me?" I asked, the tears I had just wiped were going to come again.

"Alex returned the bracelet to a lost-and-found service. It's normal for him to do that. He always tries to return things people leave behind.” Ethan clutched his hands together as he spoke.

I froze and the only thing I could hear was my heart pounding deep down in my stomach.

After the silence ate me up, “Why?" I finally muttered the grace to ask.

Ethan just looked up to me without saying a word. I looked him in the eye to maybe find the truth he wasn't willing to tell.

"It's not my place to say so," he uttered coldly and the switch was quite noticeable.

He lifted up his head and looked at me with a careful and warm attention,"But you should know that night meant something to him. He doesn't talk about it. But it did."

What was I supposed to do with such information?

"I don't think he likes what he's doing to you now. He's going to let you when he thinks his reputation is safe. That's the plan," he casually mentioned.

I gasped in shock as tears stung my eyes more than it ever did at the beginning.

It was like a little reminder—the one that I forgot.

"Bella, plans always change," he gently added. There was no good in that.

Just when he lifted his hands and dropped it on mine, Alex trouped in and saw us in the garden.

"Oh Ethan,” he laughed uncomfortably and I moved my hand in an instant.

“Hi man, you didn't tell me you weren't around!" Ethan shook him and they greeted themselves.

“I mean, at least you both now know that you can talk." He commented.

Oh shit!

I didn't know what that meant. I looked up to him and his expression was something I couldn't decode—Iy wasn't anger. It was something way stronger than anger and I just looked like it could have already happened before the decision was made.