Semua Bab The Sin Between US : Bab 31 - Bab 40

The air was thick with the warmth of a late summer evening as we strolled through the quiet campus courtyard. Everything around me seemed to slow down each step, each whisper of wind, every soft murmur of the leaves stirred feelings I’d tried so desperately to ignore. For weeks, I had guarded my heart, building walls high enough to keep the world, and especially Ethan, at a safe distance. But that evening, something shifted. The distance I had enforced was finally crumbling under the weight of my own longing.We’d spent the past few weeks slowly rebuilding our connection, a tentative conversation here, a shared laugh there. Yet, tonight was different. Tonight, the air itself vibrated with unspoken promises and the possibility of something real. I could feel it in the gentle brush of his hand as we walked side by side, in the way his eyes, so familiar and yet so intensely vulnerable, searched mine in the fading light. Ethan stopped near a beautifully lit fountain in the center of the c

The days leading up to graduation were a blur of deadlines, late-night study sessions, and an overwhelming sense of finality. The campus, once a place of comfort and familiarity, now felt like a ticking clock, counting down to the inevitable moment when we’d all go our separate ways.Final projects piled up, and professors seemed determined to squeeze every last bit of knowledge out of us before we left. The library became my second home, the smell of old books and coffee lingering in the air as I spent hours revising, highlighting notes, and trying not to panic about the future.Ethan, on the other hand, had an entirely different kind of pressure weighing on him. Balancing academics was one thing, but balancing it alongside his growing responsibilities in his father’s business was something else entirely. I noticed how much more focused and serious he had become. He wasn’t just Ethan, the guy who teased me endlessly and made me laugh when I was stressed, he was Ethan, the future vice

Life after college was… different.No more early morning lectures or last-minute assignments. No more spontaneous campus hangouts or running into friends at the café. The structured world of university was gone, replaced by something much less predictable, adulthood.I had moved into an apartment with Favour and Gift. We had joked about it back in school, swearing we’d stick together even after graduation, but now, it was real. Our schedules didn’t always align, but the familiarity of having them around kept me grounded. Favour, ever the tech-savvy one, was now freelancing from home, taking on projects that let her work in her pajamas. Gift, on the other hand, had landed a corporate job and left early most mornings, coming home exhausted but still full of dramatic office gossip. And then there was Ethan.His life had changed even more than mine. He had stepped fully into his new role as vice president at his father’s company, and it consumed a lot of his time. Meetings, late-night cal

I had barely stepped into my parents’ house when my mom’s voice rang out from the dining area.“We’re going on a vacation.”I paused mid step, my mind still adjusting to the change in atmosphere. “What?”Dad, sitting in his usual spot on the couch, barely looked up from his newspaper. “The family trip. We finally finalized the plans.”I frowned, trying to recall any recent discussions about this. “What family trip?”Mom sighed dramatically, setting down her glass of juice. “Ava, we’ve talked about this before. Do you ever listen when we speak?”I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. Fair point. Between work, adjusting to life after college, and spending time with Ethan, I’d been a little… distracted.“Where?” I asked instead, dropping my bag onto a chair.“A private resort. Just close family and some friends,” Dad answered simply.Okay. That didn’t sound bad. A vacation wasn’t a terrible idea. It had been a while since we’d all gone somewhere together. Then Mom dropped the second

The vacation had been a collage of calm family days and unexpected reunions, each moment layered with the warmth of familiarity and the bittersweet tang of memories. For the most part, I had tried to focus on the peaceful rhythm of our getaway. I’d spent plenty of time with Ethan, who had seamlessly woven his way into my life. And yet, amidst the laughter and lazy days by the pool, there was another presence, Lucas. Lucas had a way of appearing when I least expected him, slipping into the edges of my vision like a mischievous ghost of the past. I never planned on thinking about him, let alone feeling anything at all. But somehow, the old spark flickered to life every time he teased me with that familiar, devilish grin.The family had planned a relaxed afternoon at the resort’s pool area. The water was inviting, crystal clear and shimmering under the brilliant sun while the air was filled with the sound of laughter, splashing, and the occasional playful shout. I found a spot on a loun