CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE : RIGHT THING

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE : RIGHT THING
His eyes shut slowly, his lashes wet with tears.

That was until he opened them, staring at me in desperation and fear.

“There’s no coming back for us, is there?” He whispered his question.

And I shook my head without any hesitation in my voice. 

“No, there’s none, Ethan,” I answered.

His lips curled into a sad smile, one that crushed my soul.

“You are asking too much from me, Leah,” his hoarse voice came this time as he stared at me in pain.

My lips quivered, but I was not backing out.

“If you ever loved me Ethan,

Even just a little bit, then you’ll free me and let me leave in peace,” I choked out.

He flinched, pain crossing his beautiful features.

And then, he stretched his hands to meet mine still hanging in the air.

As he clasped them together, his rough palm overshadowed mine like a shield.

“I promise.

I swear to leave you and our children alone.

I swear that I’ll never try to hurt myself again.

And I swear that from this day henceforth, we'll never see each other again.”

His voice broke at the end, as he gave my hands one last stroke.

I removed them away from him quickly, taking a deep breath as I stood up.

“Good bye, Ethan.

I pray never to cross paths with you in this lifetime or any to come,” my shaky voice said.

And I did not wait to see the expression on his face as I ran out.

My hands covered my lips as I choked in my sobs, trying to keep my tears away.

I felt a small touch on my back.

Something light and soothing, as I snapped my head up to meet Killian’s face.

I quickly wiped my tears away, breathing as steadily as I could.

“Ethan is awake,” I told him, and I saw an expression flash past his eyes, and he quickly retracted his hands back to his sides.

“I understand if you go back to him and…”

“I told him we’re over.

And we’ll never see each other again,” my voice was low as I said those words.

But I saw the shock on his expression as clear as day.

“I’m not getting back with Ethan, Killian.

Do you still want to marry me?” I asked, my eyes hesistant as I stared at him.

But I knew what I wanted.

I wanted stability.

I wanted peace. 

And only Killian could give me that.

“Yes, of course Leah.

I understand If you want to wait a while.

I’ll wait for how…”

I cut him off again, speaking seriously this time.

“We’ll get married tommorrow.

I just need to inform my grandmother first,” I muttered weakly and he nodded.

He caressed my shoulder gently, that was until he pulled me into a hug.

I felt his lips kissing my hair and I sighed.

One single trail of tears rolled down my cheek, and that was all.

I’ve cried enough for Ethan already.

And today, everything was finally over.

I want to live in peace and start afresh.

No more tears, I promised myself, sinking into Killian’s hug.

I had wanted the wedding to happen sooner.

But grandmother was strict on throwing a very lavish wedding for me, so I had to wait a week.

It’s been seven days since I had last seen Ethan.

Seven days, and yet it felt like years.

I’ve had to stop myself time and time again from calling the hospital to ask about his condition.

I’ve tried to move him out of my mind countless times.

Everything felt wrong, yet—I had told myself time and time again that I was doing the right thing.

I was doing this for myself and my children.

And Ethan could not give me happiness in the past.

And he certainly cannot do it now. 

Killian was the right choice.

He had done so much for me already.

Marrying him was fair and reasonable.

I smoothed my hands down my wedding dress as I looked at myself in the mirror.

I looked so different from the woman I used to know.

There was a time I loved everything about me—and at that time, everything felt right.

But now, standing here today, dressed as Killian’s bride, I could not shake off the feeling that everything was terribly wrong.

And also that nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen.

The last time I felt like this, Ethan had almost died.

I shook my head, blinking the haze away.

As I convinced myself once again that I was making the right decision and nothing was going to go wrong.

“Aveline dear,” a familiar voice called out gently followed by the opening of the door behind me.

And the moment she stepped in, I heard a gasp.

“My God, you look just like your mother on her wedding day,” my grandma said, and I finally turned to face her.

She stared at me, tears clinging to her eyes as she regarded me.

“I know she’s watching over you.

She must be very proud to see how far you have come my dear,” she said softly cradling my face in her palms.

My chest tugged with pain.

Even though I had not known my mother, I had seen enough pictures of her, and heard enough stories about her and my dad to know that we are exactly alike.

And I knew she would have loved me very much.

“She would won't she?” I smiled at her, turning back to take one look at myself in the mirror again.

This was the first time I was going to have a real wedding, and that too on my own terms.

“The twins' father “ Grandmother mumbled, making my head snap to hers in shock.

She had never once, not even when the twins were born asked about their father.

So why was she doing it now?

“Who is their father, Aveline?”