Chapter 27 Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Ethan drove out of Castellan Enterprise that evening, his mind lost in the pile of meetings and reports waiting for him the next day.
The city lights flashed against the car windows as he turned into the main road. It had been a long day, one he hoped to end quietly.
But peace wasn’t something that came easily anymore not with Amelia still hovering around his life like a shadow that refused to fade.
At first, he ignored the car behind him. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe not. But when he turned twice and the black BMW still followed, his patience snapped.
He hit the brakes and pulled over near the corner of the street. The BMW did the same, stopping just a few feet behind him. He already knew who it was.
Ethan stepped out, slamming his car door shut.
“Amelia,” he muttered under his breath.
The driver’s door of the BMW opened, and there she was heels clicking against the pavement, her long hair tied back, face painted with the same confidence she always wore.
Amelia looked like the kind of woman who never took no for an answer.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Ethan said, his voice tight.
“Why are you in such a hurry to run away?” Amelia said, smirking as she folded her arms.
“Because I told you to stay away from me,” he said sharply. “I’ll call the police next time you follow me again.”
She let out a short laugh, stepping closer. “You don’t dare. And even if you do, they won’t touch me. You seem to forget who I am.”
“I haven’t forgotten,” Ethan shot back. “But you seem to forget who I am too. I said it once, I’ll say it again I don’t want you in my life, Amelia. Move on. Find someone else. I’m done.”
Her smile faded, replaced by a cold look that didn’t reach her eyes. “You sound brave now, Ethan. Finally standing up for yourself. That’s new.”
He glared at her, jaw clenched. “Don’t make this harder than it already is. You and I are done. Whatever we had, it’s over.”
Amelia tilted her head slightly. “You think you can walk away from me like I meant nothing?”
“You made it easy,” he said, stepping back toward his car.
She scoffed, crossing her arms tighter. “You’ll regret saying that.”
Ethan didn’t reply. He turned around, got into his car, and shut the door. He could still see her in the mirror, standing there in the middle of the road like a statue. He started the engine and drove off without another word.
As the red tail lights disappeared into the night, Amelia stayed there, breathing hard. Her nails dug into her palm until they left faint marks.
“This isn’t over,” she said quietly to herself. “You’ll see me again, Ethan Castellan.”
She walked back to her car and got in. For a few seconds, she sat in silence, staring at the steering wheel. Then she started the engine, a small smirk appearing on her face.
“This is just the beginning,” she said under her breath before driving off into the night.
\---
Ethan drove straight home. His thoughts were restless. He had tried to keep things civil with Amelia after the breakup, but she kept crossing lines. Following him? That was new.
He loosened his tie as he stepped into his apartment. The quietness of the place welcomed him, but his mind wasn’t calm. He dropped his keys on the table, rubbed the back of his neck, and walked to the living room.
He poured himself a glass of water and sat down, trying to push the encounter out of his mind. He had made it clear months ago that it was over. Amelia had been obsessed with him since they were kids he knew that but he never thought it would go this far.
For a moment, he wondered if he should tell his father about this. But that would only make things worse. Their families were close, and the last thing he needed was more drama.
He leaned back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Amelia’s words echoed faintly in his head: You’ll regret saying that.
He brushed it off, but a small part of him couldn’t ignore the unease that crept in. Amelia wasn’t someone who took rejection quietly. He knew her well enough to know that her silence was always followed by something worse.
\---
Meanwhile, Amelia drove home in silence, the sound of the engine filling the car. She wasn’t angry she was amused.
Ethan thought cutting her off was that simple. He didn’t understand that she wasn’t the type to lose what she wanted.
She parked in front of her mansion, her father’s wealth obvious in every detail of the property. The guards greeted her, but she ignored them and went straight to her room.
Gloria had called her twice earlier, but she didn’t pick up. She knew what her friend would say something about letting go, moving on. But how could she move on when Ethan Castellan was everything she had ever wanted?
She walked to her dresser, removed her earrings, and stared at herself in the mirror. The reflection that stared back wasn’t the same girl who once smiled shyly around him. This one looked colder.
“You think you can live peacefully without me, Ethan?” she said softly. “Let’s see how long that peace lasts.”
A faint smile curved her lips.
She walked to her window and looked out at the quiet street. Somewhere out there, she knew Ethan was home, pretending to be fine. Pretending he could forget her.
She laughed lightly and turned away. “You’ll come back to me,” she whispered, “one way or another.”
She reached for her phone, typing a message but not sending it. Her fingers hovered over the screen before she locked it and threw it on the bed.
She wasn’t going to text him. Not tonight. Let him think it was over. Let him believe she had moved on. Because when he least expected it, she’d remind him who she really was.
“This is just the beginning,” she repeated quietly, smiling to herself.
\---
That night, Ethan couldn’t sleep easily. His mind kept circling back to the same thought Amelia. He didn’t want her back, not even close, but something about her words had unsettled him. He turned in bed, trying to shake the feeling off.
“She’ll get tired eventually,” he muttered, convincing himself.
But deep down, something told him Amelia wouldn’t stop.