CHAPTER 82

CHAPTER 82
ARIANA’S POV

“So… how did it go with you and Elise? You look like you both ended up throwing punches.” Ethan looked drained as he stepped through the front door. His expression said everything before his words did. “What happened?”

He didn’t answer right away. He just dropped his keys on the table and loosened his tie like he’d been holding his breath all day. I sat on the couch, half-distracted by the open file in front of me. I’d been trying to focus on work, but my thoughts had been clouded by what Sabela and her mother might be plotting behind my back.

Still, the moment I saw Ethan’s face, that worry vanished. He looked defeated, and that scared me more than anything.

“Ethan?” I called softly. “What happened?”

He sank into the armchair across from me and rubbed his temples. “Elise was one of my exes,” he said after a long pause. “And apparently, she hasn’t forgiven me for the way things ended.”

I blinked. “Wait, Elise? The same Elise who’s supposed to host my comeback interview?”

He nodded. “Yeah. She’s pretending to be professional about it, but I know that look in her eyes. She’s angry. And she’ll use that anger to humiliate you on live television.”

My heart dropped. The show had already been confirmed. Every major outlet had picked up the announcement. Canceling wasn’t an option. “That’s bad,” I murmured, staring at the coffee table. “Really bad.”

“I know,” Ethan said, his tone heavy. “I tried reasoning with her, but she made it clear she’d rather see me crawl than help you succeed. She didn’t even try to hide it.”

I leaned back, clutching a pillow against my chest. “So what do we do now? If we pull out, people will say I’m scared. If we go through with it, she’ll come for my throat.”

Ethan sighed. “I’ll try talking to her again. Maybe I can convince her to tone it down.”

“That’s not going to work if she’s still hurt,” I said gently. “You must’ve hurt her deeply for her to act like this.”

His jaw tightened. “It wasn’t that simple.”

“I’m not saying it was,” I replied. “But I’ve worked with enough people to know that unresolved anger always finds a stage.”

He shot me a look, and I gave him a small, knowing smile. “Come on, Ethan. You know who I am.”

He exhaled. “Fine. You win.”

“So?” I pressed. “Tell me what really happened.”

He hesitated, glancing at the floor before finally speaking. “I met Elise long before Amelia. Back then, we were… good together. Really good, actually. She made me laugh. She pushed me to think bigger. It felt like everything made sense when I was with her.”

I nodded slowly. I could hear the faint trace of warmth in his tone when he spoke her name. It was strange, but instead of jealousy, I felt curiosity. I wanted to understand the man he had been before all of this.

“What went wrong?” I asked quietly.

He let out a humorless chuckle. “She started spending time with another guy. She said he was just a friend, but I didn’t buy it. I told her it made me uncomfortable, but she brushed it off. Said I was being controlling.”

“That sounds familiar,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

Ethan smirked. “You analyzing me now?”

“Always,” I said with a faint grin. “Go on.”

“I went to her place one night to talk things through,” he continued, his tone hardening. “I walked in and saw her kissing him. That was it for me. I walked out and never looked back.”

I didn’t speak for a few seconds. I’d expected a twist—a misunderstanding, something redeemable. But no. It was what it was.

“So she cheated,” I said finally. “And now she’s the one holding a grudge?”

Ethan shrugged. “She says I didn’t give her a chance to explain. Maybe she’s right. But what’s the point now? Some things are better left buried.”

I studied him carefully. His words were cold, but his eyes weren’t. There was something buried there—hurt, maybe even guilt.

“Maybe,” I said softly. “But if that’s the case, then you should prepare for her to dig it all back up. She’s not done with you yet.”

He let out a deep sigh. “I just hope you remember what you’re saying right now after that interview. Some wounds don’t close, Ariana. They fester.”

“That’s bleak,” I muttered. “But I’m not going to let her win. If she tries to twist the story, I’ll face it. I’ve handled worse.”

Ethan leaned back, studying me. “You really think you can handle her?”

“I don’t think,” I said firmly. “I know.”

A small smile tugged at his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re brave. Or reckless.”

“Both,” I said. “But maybe that’s what this comeback needs.”

He chuckled quietly, then ran a hand through his hair. “You always think you can fix people. That’s what I like about you.”

I smirked. “I can’t fix everyone. But I can face them.”

He looked at me for a long moment, then asked, “So what are you thinking?”

“I’ll meet Elise myself,” I said.

His head snapped toward me. “What?”

“I need to talk to her. Woman to woman. No cameras, no publicists. Maybe she needs to see that I’m not her enemy.”

“Ariana, that’s not a good idea,” Ethan said quickly. “She’ll twist whatever you say. She’s manipulative.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But she’s also human. If she still hates you, she’s probably still hurting. And if she’s hurting, maybe she’ll listen to reason from someone who isn’t you.”

He rubbed his face with both hands. “You’re walking straight into a trap.”

“Maybe. But what’s the alternative? Hide until she decides to go easy on us?”

Ethan didn’t answer. The silence said enough.

“I’m meeting her,” I repeated.

He looked at me, torn between admiration and frustration. “You’re impossible.”

“I’ve been called worse.” I stood up, gathering my notes and stuffing them into my bag. “Besides, if she’s going to attack me on live TV, I’d rather know the size of the knife she’s bringing.”

He frowned but didn’t argue again.

As I walked past him, he caught my wrist gently. “Ariana,” he said quietly. “Be careful. She’s not who she used to be.”

“Neither am I,” I said, meeting his eyes.

I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on me—the past, the secrets, the tension building between us. But I wasn’t going to let fear decide my next move. Not anymore.

As I stepped outside into the night air, the city lights flickered across the skyline. Tomorrow, I’d face Elise.

And whether it turned into a fight or a reckoning, I was ready for it.