Chapter 61 One Year Down
"Where was I, Mr. Bennett? Don't you know already?" I let out a cold laugh, walking past him with the transparent plastic bag containing the pregnancy test.
Ethan stood up and caught my wrist, his eyes falling on the test visible through the clear plastic. "Are you pregnant?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know," I replied flatly. "That's why I'm going to check."
His eyes darkened. "I'm sorry."
I yanked my arm free and headed to the bathroom without another word, shutting the door firmly behind me.
As I waited for the result, I leaned against the cold tile wall. I knew Ethan's patterns too well by now. When he wasn't angry, he was almost human—gentle even, and he always wore protection. But when he was angry? He turned into something else entirely—reckless, demanding, finishing inside me without a thought.
One line appeared on the test. Negative. The relief made me dizzy, and I slid down to sit on the bathroom floor, clutching the plastic stick like it was a lifeline.
Outside, I heard Ethan on the phone. "Check who came to the apartment last night." His voice was all business, the tone he used when issuing commands. After a pause: "I want names, and I want them now."
Another call followed. I heard the distinctive sound of a video call connecting, then Ashley's voice came through clearly.
"Oh, you're back home already?" Her tone was light.
"Yes," Ethan replied tersely.
"Look at you," Ashley said, her voice a mixture of exasperation and indulgence. "I knew you wouldn't be able to wait even one night. Funny, I never saw you this impatient when you were younger. Now you're almost thirty and acting like a lovesick teenager."
Ethan's sigh was audible. "What is it, Mom?"
Ashley laughed softly. "Well, since you were away, I was worried about Olivia being alone. She's still just a teenage girl, after all. So I had someone bring her over to the house last night. Mia and her friends were there too—I thought she might enjoy some company her own age."
"Mom, don't ever do that again. You know your son's temper." His voice held an edge that made me shiver even through the door.
When I finally emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in my robe after a long shower, Ethan was standing right outside the door.
"Well?" he asked, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.
"Negative," I said flatly.
Something flickered across his face—relief? disappointment? I couldn't tell. "It won't happen again," he said quietly.
I almost laughed. "Sure."
Ethan suddenly pulled me against him, his stubble scratching my cheek as he pressed his lips to my face. "I won't let anyone take you away again," he murmured, "and I won't be careless again."
I pushed against his chest, exhaustion washing over me. "Later, okay? I didn't sleep last night. I just want to rest."
His eyes narrowed. "You didn't sleep? Why?"
I turned away, climbing into bed without answering. I heard him sigh, then say, "Get some rest. I need to go out for a bit."
When I woke up hours later, my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. The clock read 3:42 PM. I dragged myself out of bed, changed into clean clothes, and was about to head downstairs when Ethan returned.
He caught me by the shoulders, guiding me to the couch. His eyes were intense, searching mine. "Liv, you're smart enough to know the difference."
"Difference between what?" I blinked at him, confused by his abrupt approach.
Ethan leaned forward, his gaze direct and unwavering. "Besides you, I've never cared for anyone else. It's impossible that I'd use you as a substitute for someone." His voice grew firmer. "And with my personality—if I actually had feelings for Mia, do you think I would have kept it to myself?"
I considered his words, and they made sense. Given Ethan's character, he wouldn't just secretly pine for someone. If he wanted someone, he took action immediately, regardless of circumstances or who stood in his way.
Like how I had been Blake's girlfriend when Ethan first saw me. He didn't hesitate to take me from his own nephew, creating tension within his family just to have me. Nobody could ever accuse Ethan Bennett of being passive about what he wanted.
Without a word, he unlocked his phone and played a video. On the screen was Mia—the girl from last night—but her face looked different. Natural. Not like mine at all.
"I'm sorry, Miss Reed," the girl on the screen said. "I was wrong to say those things yesterday. I deliberately tried to hurt you by wearing makeup to look like you and saying those things... I'm sorry."
I stared at the video, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing. This wasn't the same face I'd seen last night. The resemblance was much fainter without the styling and makeup.
"Do you believe me now?" Ethan asked, putting his phone away.
I nodded slowly. "But why would she do that?"
"She's my uncle's adopted daughter," Ethan said evenly. "We're not blood-related."
Realization dawned on me. "She's in love with you."
He didn't answer, which was answer enough.
Ethan took both my hands in his, his dark eyes so deep and penetrating they seemed to see right through me. "Liv, from now on, if anything happens—anything at all—you need to come to me first. I don't want misunderstandings between us because of third parties."
I wanted to tell him that's what real couples do—being completely honest, having that level of communication. But we weren't a real couple. We were a contract with an expiration date. We didn't need that kind of honesty or that level of commitment.
"Ethan," I looked at him, suddenly needing to establish boundaries, to remind both of us that this wasn't forever. "We agreed on two years, right?"
His hand gripped mine tightly, his eyes darkening. "Yes, two years."
I forced a smile. "It's been almost a year now. Just one more to go."
He swallowed hard, his grip becoming painful.
"You promised," I continued, ignoring the discomfort. "After a year, you'll let me go. You won't go back on your word, will you?"
Ethan's eyes darkened with a flash of pain I'd never seen before. His lips curved into a smile that wasn't threatening—it was wounded, broken at the edges. "And what if I do?" he asked, his voice low and raw.