The Promise He Made

Seraphina was still staring at Ethan’s phone when his hand moved beneath the blanket.

She looked away immediately.

A second later, Ethan opened his eyes.

“Sera?”

His voice was rough with sleep.

“Morning.”

He reached for his phone, then paused when he noticed her expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Ethan studied her.

They had been together too long for that answer to fool him completely.

He sat up and glanced at the screen.

Seraphina watched the exact moment he saw Camille’s message.

His face didn’t change much, but his thumb moved quickly, clearing the notification.

That small movement bothered her more than she wanted it to.

“Camille texted you,” she said.

Ethan looked at her.

“You read it?”

“It appeared on the screen.”

He rubbed a hand across his face.

“Sera, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

She almost laughed.

“I haven’t told you what I’m thinking.”

“You don’t have to.”

He unlocked his phone and held it toward her.

“Look.”

Seraphina didn’t take it.

“What am I supposed to look at?”

“The conversation.”

“I don’t want to search your phone.”

“I’m not asking you to search it.”

“Then explain the message.”

Ethan sighed.

For a moment, she expected irritation.

Instead, he shifted closer.

“Camille had a rough day yesterday. She made a mistake with one of the client files and thought I was going to fire her.”

“And?”

“And I didn’t.”

Seraphina waited.

Ethan gave a tired smile.

“She said I’m still the same person I was when we were younger. Apparently, that’s the version of me she missed.”

Seraphina looked at him carefully.

“You were with her after everyone else left?”

“No. There were other people in the office.”

“Nina sent me a picture.”

His smile disappeared.

“What picture?”

“She was holding your arm.”

Ethan stared at her for a second, then shook his head.

“Seriously?”

“I didn’t ask Nina to take it.”

“Camille touched my arm, Sera. That’s all.”

“I know.”

“Do you?”

His tone was sharper now.

Seraphina looked down.

Perhaps she was being unfair.

Camille had been his friend before she had been his girlfriend. Their families had known each other. They shared memories Seraphina had never been part of.

She hated how insecure that suddenly made her feel.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Ethan’s expression softened almost immediately.

“Come here.”

He pulled her against him.

For a moment, Seraphina resisted.

Then she let herself rest against his chest.

His heartbeat was familiar.

So was the scent of his skin.

This was the man she had loved for eight years.

Surely that meant more than a text message.

Ethan kissed the top of her head.

“You know I love you, right?”

Seraphina closed her eyes.

“Sometimes I need you to remind me.”

His arms tightened.

“I’m sorry.”

She wanted to tell him it wasn’t only Camille.

It was the late nights.

His mother.

The fertility appointments he kept postponing.

The way he listened to half of what she said while answering emails.

She wanted to ask when they had stopped talking about anything that wasn’t his company.

Instead, she whispered, “Our anniversary is next week.”

“I know.”

“You promised.”

“I’ll be here.”

Seraphina pulled back.

“Even if Vale calls?”

Ethan smiled.

“That depends.”

She stared at him.

He laughed and touched her cheek.

“I’m joking.”

“You’re terrible.”

“I know.”

For the first time in days, she laughed with him.

And just like that, the knot in her chest loosened.

Maybe Nina was wrong.

Maybe Seraphina was letting Margaret’s comments and Ethan’s long hours make her imagine problems that weren’t there.

Ethan climbed out of bed.

As he buttoned his shirt, Seraphina watched him.

“Do you remember what you promised me when you started Rowe Innovations?”

He glanced at her through the mirror.

“I made a lot of promises back then.”

“You said if the company ever succeeded, we’d take a month off and travel.”

Ethan laughed.

“A month?”

“That’s what you said.”

“I must have been very optimistic.”

“You were broke.”

“That explains it.”

Seraphina smiled.

They had been living in a tiny apartment then.

Ethan’s office was barely larger than their bedroom, and his first three employees sometimes worked from folding chairs because he couldn’t afford proper furniture.

One night, after another investor rejected him, Ethan had returned home with defeat written all over his face.

“I think I made a mistake,” he had admitted.

Seraphina had never heard him say that before.

“What mistake?”

“Starting the company.”

She had sat beside him on the floor because they hadn’t bought a sofa yet.

“What happened?”

“No one wants to invest.”

“Someone will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.”

He had laughed bitterly.

“How?”

Because she already knew exactly who she could call.

But she couldn’t tell him that.

So Seraphina had taken his face between her hands.

“Because I know you.”

The next morning, she called one of her father’s oldest business associates.

Three days later, Ethan received a meeting.

He thought his proposal had finally been noticed.

Seraphina never corrected him.

That investment became the foundation of Rowe Innovations.

Back then, she had believed keeping the truth from him was an act of love.

Lately, she wasn’t so sure.

“Sera?”

Ethan’s voice pulled her back.

He was standing by the door.

“What?”

“You disappeared again.”

“Just remembering things.”

“Good things?”

She looked at him.

“Mostly.”

He walked over and kissed her.

Not her forehead this time.

Her lips.

It was brief, but warm enough to make her heart stumble.

“I’ll be home for dinner,” he said.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Then he left.

Seraphina remained on the bed, smiling despite herself.

Maybe they were fine.

Maybe marriage simply became quieter after five years.

Maybe love didn’t always look like it had in college.

Her phone rang.

Nina.

Seraphina answered.

“Please don’t tell me you have another photograph.”

Nina didn’t laugh.

“Sera…”

Something in her voice made Seraphina sit straighter.

“What happened?”

“I heard Camille talking to someone this morning.”

“About what?”

There was a pause.

Then Nina said quietly,

“About you.”

Seraphina’s smile vanished.

“What did she say?”

Nina hesitated.

“She asked how much longer Ethan planned to stay married to a woman who had nothing to offer him.”