Love me back, Ex-Wife의 모든 챕터: 챕터 61 - 챕터 70

Brielle stood frozen.The warmth of Ethan's lips lingered on hers, and for a moment, the world around her fell drifted. Her head screamed in outrage at him, herself, and at the mess of lies surrounding them. But her heart… her traitorous heart betrayed her and fluttered. It wanted more.That betrayal stung the most.Why did it feel so familiar? So right? Why did a kiss she didn't ask for feel like the one thing she'd been waiting for and always wanted?She pulled in a shaky breath, her eyes wide as the crowd erupted in cheers. Flashes went off like wildfire, the lights capturing the moment and immortalizing it in digital memory. Ethan slowly pulled away from her lips, but not all the way, his hand remained at her back, his other arm still wrapped around her.Brielle's big brown eyes snapped up to meet his, They were glaring, but her gaze didn't give away what she felt on the inside. There was too much confusion tangled in her expression, and Ethan couldn't read it. She made sure of it

The party had finally come to an end, but the echo of it still rang in Brielle's ears. The clinks of champagne glasses, the constant flashes from camera shutters, the whispered gossip that trailed behind her like perfume.Outside the event center, the Raynes were gathered at the front steps, cameras clicking relentlessly as they began saying their goodbyes to their guests. Vivian, ever the orchestrator, made sure that everything was as picture-perfect as she imagined it. No one left until Ethan and Brielle were safely inside their car."Ethan, help your wife into the car," she said with a proud smile, adjusting the edge of her dress. "The media is still watching."Ethan didn't argue. Instead, he offered a charming smile and gently held out his hand to Brielle, helping her into the vehicle as if they were the perfect couple in the world. Cameras exploded like fireworks. He joined her on the other side and the door clicked shut behind them.The moment the tinted glass sealed them off fr

Brielle stirred at the sound of a voice beside her."Good, you're up."Her brows furrowed, still foggy with sleep. As her vision cleared, she blinked in disbelief. "Ella?"Ella sat at the edge of the bed, arms crossed, her face scrunched in a deep frown."What are you doing here?" Brielle asked groggily, sitting up. "How did you even get in?"Ella huffed and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Rosa let me in. And as for what I'm doing here, what did you expect me to do after that call last night? You sounded like you were on the verge of a breakdown. I waited for you, Brielle. I called, I texted but got nothing. You scared the hell out of me and you need to stop doing that."Brielle's eyes widened. She reached for her purse, quickly pulling out her phone and powering it on. "Oh my God.... I forgot. My battery was almost dead when I called you, and I never checked it afterward.""Yeah, I figured," Ella said, her voice tinged with sarcasm but more relief. "I woke up early, grabbed the first

Ethan stood at the base of the stairs, his hands hidden deep into his pockets, the weight of everything that had just happened pulling down on him like a mountain. He had watched Ella gently guide Brielle up to her room after her brother was dragged out of their home, screaming threats like a madman. Ethan could still hear Brielle's quiet sobs in his ears even though she hadn't made a single sound since the moment he punched Josh in the face. And that was what did it, the silence. The silence cut deeper than her words. As he stood there, the echo of Ella's voice played in his head again, raw and damning. "Where were you when she was crying herself to sleep every night?" He swallowed hard. That wasn't just Ella's anger speaking to him. That was the hard truth. The bitter, painful one that he had ignored all these years. Did she really cry herself to sleep? Was it because of him? He paced the living room slowly, his jaw clenched. If she had... if she had lain next to him night

For the first time in their two-year marriage, Ethan Rayne had said the words Brielle never thought she'd hear."I'm sorry."And the strangest part of all? He meant it.She could see it in his eyes, the way they held her gaze, unblinking and soft. She could hear it in his tone of voice, he was not defensive or sarcastic, but sincere. Real. And that... that was terrifying.Brielle didn't know how to react.This wasn't the Ethan that she knew. The Ethan she married had always been cold, emotionally absent, and distant. The man who rarely noticed when she was hurting, who only saw her when it was convenient. Back then, she had begged for scraps of attention, had blamed herself every time he pulled away. She even made excuses for him. Convinced herself that it was work, or stress, or that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't trying hard enough.But now? He was trying. And it didn't even feel right.So, she said nothing.She only hummed quietly and looked back down at her plate, letting her fork