Chapter 12

Ethan's POV

I stared down at Skylar she came out from the water. She hesitantly looked at me while I grabbed a towel. Swinging it over her, I wrapped it around her body. She started to feel uncomfortable as it was after a long time that she was bare to my eyes.

I helped her out of the tub and helped cleanse her. Her eyes still looked swollen as tears remained in her eyes and the sight of her made my heart churn.

My chest tightened at the mere sight of her appearance. She looked devasted. The bastard laid his hands on her seven years ago and I refused to believe her back then. Heck, it was partly the reason why we broke up.

My eyes burned when I looked at the bruises on her shoulder. It took all of my strength to not break down in front of her. She needs me to stay strong for her. I can’t break down.

When she laid there, helpless with her dress stripped apart, my entire body shook with anger. I felt as though my blood boiled with the anger that needed to come out. I could only imagine how difficult it was for her to take it all in.

I quietly dressed her and dried her hair. When I was done, I crouched down before her and cupped her face.

“How are you feeling?”

She looked away and took my hand off from her face. The pain inside my chest intensified at that sight. I controlled the tears from slipping from my eyes.

“Baby, please.” I said, in a chocked voice. “Please talk to me.”

“What do I say.” she mumbled, her own tears spilling. “None of this would have happened if you didn’t abandon me. If you didn’t. feel disgusted by my kiss-”

“I’m sorry.” I cupped her face again. “I’m so sorry for doing that to you. But you know I wasn’t disgusted-”

“Please don’t talk about it.” She said, her lips trembling. “Just... I want to forget it happened to me. I want to forget this night happened.”

I nodded. She deserved to forget this. And if that’s how she is going to feel okay, then I’m going to make sure she never remembers this.

“I’m sorry.” I said. “But please tell me you’re okay. It’s ripping me apart to see you like this.”

She looked at me with an unreadable expression. Slowly opening her mouth, she replied. “I’m fine.”

I sighed. “I’ll get you some clothes to change.”

I quickly went to her clothes pile and pulled out a nightgown. As she changed, I came to the kitchen and heated up some leftovers. By the time I set the table up, Skylar came down.

We ate in silence.

“I need to tell you something,” I spoke.

She glanced at me.

“I. we are supposed to go on our honeymoon tomorrow,” I said. “I know it’s hard after what happened today, so I was thinking of postponing-”

“But the media knows right?” She asked me.

“Yes,” I said.

“Then we’re going.” She said.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said. “Not for the media at least.”

“We got married for the media, Ethan.” She said, giving me a strained look. “This is nothing. We’re even letting Jake go for the media.”

My hands balled into fists. “Who told you that we’re letting him go? We’re going to press charges.”

“You won’t, Ethan. Your family pride is more important.”

“You can’t say that. Jake is not a family anymore.”

“He still is. He was your family seven years ago and even after what he did today, he will be your family.”

I sighed. “Skylar, things were different seven years ago.”

“Exactly.” She raised her voice. “Things were different. Seven years ago, we were hopelessly in love with each other. We trusted each other more than anyone and you refused to believe me then. And look at us now! We’re in a forced marriage with no love and you’re believing me now? How fucked up is that?”

“I can’t undo what I did,” I said. “I regret not believing you, Skylar. I made a very huge mistake. And I’m sorry for what I did.”

She looked away from me. The sight was too depressing for my own eyes. I shook my head and reached for her hands on the table. “Skylar, I’m sorry.”

“We broke up, Ethan,” Skylar said. “Over nothing.”

“We didn’t just break up over that, Skylar,” I said. “I hope you remember what happened later.”

A sharp glared was fixed on me. She narrowed her eyes at me and was about to say something when I got up.

“It’s late, Skylar,” I said. “And there’s no point talking about all that. We’ve all tried to move on from it. Let’s not relive those moments and ruin the present.”

She agreed with me on that and let that go for now. But that night still played in my mind like it happened yesterday. I didn’t trust Skylar seven years ago, but she probably forgot the fact that she didn’t trust me when I needed her too.

***

The sun was just below the horizon when the plane was getting ready to take off from the ground. After enduring a sleep of four hours, Skylar and I set off to our honeymoon.

Jess, Skylar’s manager dropped a million emails explaining about how I should not abandon my wife in the vacation and how I should be aware of the fact that there will be people watching us together.

That also gives us a reason to stay closer, now that we have just one room booked for both of us, and all the plans I’ve made include the participation of a couple.

The screeching of the wheel entered my ears, instantly drawing me to the present situation. I’ve tried listening to music, drinking juice and even reading a novel. But nothing could stop the slowly igniting fear inside of me.

Unlike most people, I developed this phobia of flying because of a bad dream I’ve seen when I was a kid. Nothing really tragic happened in my life to prove this point, though.

And what was awkward was the fact that Skylar knew what was going on with me right then and she was in a conflict of thoughts on what she should be doing.

After last night, I was not sure if she should be helping me with getting through this because I essentially put her in a position like that.

“Does closing your eyes help?” She suggested, proving that humanity still existed. At least, when it came to.

“Not for me,” I said, shaking my head.

“How about, uh, reading or listening to music?”

“Tried that. Didn’t work either.”

“What do you generally do when you’re flying?” She questioned. “I’m sure you do that a lot, at least for work.”

I nodded. “I. just bear it and wait for the plane to land.”

She looked at me with an unreadable expression.

“Have you tried talking, anytime?” She asked.

“Maybe.” I said, looking out the windows and gulping.

“Ethan, talk to me.” She said, pulling me to look at her. “Forget you’re here. Just. talk whatever you want to.”

“What?”

“It will help, idiot. Just try.”

“What if it doesn’t?”

“We can try something else!” She said with annoyance. “Seriously, you are a-”

“Fine,” I said and spoke the first thing that came to my mind. “I think that lipstick doesn’t suit you.”

She narrowed my eyes at me. “That’s what you have got to say?”

“No, I mean. I just.”

“You know what, you’re a fucking ungrateful jerk. Why did I even think of helping you through this?”

“Well, I didn’t mean it like that - It just slipped out.”

“It will slip out only when you have that thought running in your mind.” She said, taking her hands off me. “Really, Ethan. You should be more-”

“Skylar, shut up and talk.”

“How the hell can one shut up and talk?”

“Stupid, everyone is staring.”

“I don’t care.”

“They know us, they can-”

“What, are you worried about the media now?”

I rolled my eyes. “I was going to-”

“I don’t care,” she said and rolled her eyes at me. “I honestly don’t care about the fact that we got married for the media and that you refused to kiss me back last night-”

I cut her off before she could narrate our life history to everyone watching us in the flight by planting my lips on her.

A surprised gasp left her mouth and I sealed it with mine. But to my surprise, she pulled back and slapped me on my face.

“What the hell?” I gritted.

She smiled. “How does it feel?”

“Skylar.,” I said with annoyance.

“See? That’s how I felt last night.”

“Are you serious? Is this all about me not kissing you back last night?”

“No, this is about you feeling disgusted about the kiss last night.”

“Jesus, you have a story of your own to write about everything you see! I wasn’t disgusted-”

“Of course you were. You literally pushed me away.”

“Skylar, I’m going to kiss you again if you do not shut up.”

“And I’m going to slap you again if you don’t control that male ego inside you. And this time, it’s going to be louder.”

I eyed her in annoyance and looked away. I have never been threatened like this in my entire life. Not even my business rivals could do what she was doing to me. Seriously, is that all it takes to shut me up?

I totally forgot what she was capable of. Annoyed Skylar was not a good sign for anyone, especially me.

Damn, this marriage is going to be one hell of a ride for me.

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