Chapter 35 Ethan
Chapter 35 Ethan
Ethan’s POV
She was shaking in my arms, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps, her tears soaking through my shirt. I didn’t utter a single word. I just held her tighter because I understood that kind of fear. The kind that turned you back into a child.
She had no idea. She couldn’t.
But as I felt her trembling start to fade, memories dragged me under.
I was six. Maybe seven. The floor was icy beneath me, my knees scraped, my lip split open, I could taste the blood that smeared it, I remember pounding my fists against the locked door. “Please, Mama,”I had pleaded. “Please, I’ll be good. I promise, I’ll be good.”
The door never budged.
All I could hear was her voice, distant and cruel in its stillness. “Good boys don’t make noise, Ethan.”
I screamed until my voice cracked. Until I couldn’t tell if the pounding in my ears was from my heart or the sound of her heels walking away. After that, the darkness swallowed everything.
Now, years later, as Zoey clung to me in that same kind of terror, the ghost of that moment pressed against my ribs. I blinked hard, trying to push it away. She didn’t need my ghosts. She had enough of her own.
When her breathing finally steadied, she pulled back a little, her eyes were red and weary but calmer. She looked so fragile in a way that made me feel protective over her.
I didn’t say a word. I just nodded toward the door. “Come on.”
She hesitated for a moment. “Where are we going?”
“Out,” I replied simply. “You need some fresh air.” I helped her to her feet, steadying her when her knees threatened to give way.
The building felt eerily quiet as we stepped outside, the light had come on, making the darkness disappear.
Across the street was a small ice cream truck still open. I pointed, drawing Zoey’s attention to it. “There, that should help.
She smiled at it, then turned to me. “It’s past eleven.”
“Guess some folks enjoy midnight snacks,” I replied.
Without waiting for her to respond, I walked up to the truck. The old man behind the counter gave me a faint smile, clearly recognizing me, this late-night stop was nothing new for me. “Two, please,” I said, handing over the cash before Zoey could object.
She opened her mouth to say something but then fell silent when I handed her a cone. Her fingers brushed against mine for a brief moment, I could feel the goosebumps pricking my skin.
I took off my suit jacket and wrapped it over her shoulders. She stiffened in surprise and looked up at me.“You’ll freeze,” she said softly.
“I’ll manage.”
We stood by the side of the truck in silence. After a moment, she broke the stillness with a soft, “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I know,” I replied.
A faint smile tugged at her lips, barely noticeable. “You’re… nicer than you seem, you know that?”
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s not exactly a compliment.”
That got a small laugh out of her. It was quiet, but genuine, the first sound of the night that didn’t feel like a wound reopening. She took another bite, this time more slowly, and said, “I’m sorry… for what happened back there. For how I acted.”
I turned to her. “You don’t need to apologize.”
“I do,” she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. “You shouldn’t have had to see me like that.”
“Zoey.” I said her name with a firm tone, and she looked up, surprised. “You don’t need to apologize for being scared.”
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. I could see it in her eyes, the struggle between wanting to hide behind apologies and the urge to show strength. I recognized that struggle all too well.
“I understand,” I said softly.
She frowned a bit. “How could you possibly—”
“I just do.”
I didn’t share the nights I spent trembling in the dark, waiting for a door to open that never would. I didn’t mention the voice that still haunted me when I closed my eyes, whispering that I wasn’t enough.
Instead, I took a slow, deep breath and said, “Next time you’re working late… just check my office first. If I’m still around, you can work there. That way, if the power goes out again, you won’t be by yourself.”
Her head snapped around, eyes wide with surprise. “You’d… really let me do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, a nervous laugh escaping her lips as her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. “It just feels… kind.”
I shrugged, a hint of a smile playing on my lips. “Maybe I can be, sometimes.”
Her blush deepened, and she ducked her head, pretending to concentrate on her ice cream. I feigned ignorance, though I couldn’t help but smile a little.
When she finished her ice cream, she discarded the empty cone wrapper. “Thank you, Ethan.” Her face mirrored the gratitude she felt.
I nodded. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
This time, she didn’t argue.
When we arrived at her apartment, I got out first and walked her to her door. She paused at the threshold, turning to face me. “Goodnight, Ethan.”
“Goodnight, Zoey.” I replied, flashing her a smile. It wasn’t the brightest, but it was the best I could do. I stood there until she got in and the door clicked shut.