Chapter 49 Forever? Not So Fast
I sat on the bathroom floor, hands trembling slightly as I stared at the plastic stick with its single pink line. One line. Not two.
"Thank God," I whispered, exhaling deeply. Just a false alarm.
The door swung open, and Ethan stood there, his expression unreadable.
"It's negative," I said, holding up the test. "See? One line."
He nodded slowly, taking it from my hand to examine it himself. "Get dressed. We're going to see Dr. Fuller."
"Why? The test is negative—"
"These things can be wrong," he cut me off. "I want to be certain."
Two hours later, I sat on a leather examination table in Dr. Fuller's private clinic, having endured blood tests, urine samples, and an ultrasound. Ethan paced like a caged predator, checking his watch repeatedly.
When Dr. Helen Fuller finally returned, she smiled professionally. "The tests are negative, Ms. Reed. You're not pregnant."
My shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you, doctor."
The drive back was quiet until I couldn't stand the silence. "You're being weird," I said, turning toward him.
Ethan kept his eyes on the road. "Am I?"
"Yes. You had a strange look when the doctor confirmed I wasn't pregnant."
His fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. "I'd worry if you were pregnant. I'd feel responsible for putting you through that. But when I heard you weren't..." His voice faded. "I felt a strange loss."
I stared at him, not comprehending. "Why would you feel that way?"
That didn't make sense. In my mind, Ethan wasn't the type of man eager to get married and have children—otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen me.
Ethan saw right through my thoughts. "I'm not in a rush to get married or have children," he explained, "but with you, I want..."
His words trailed off, but his eyes conveyed what remained unsaid, his gaze intense and penetrating as he briefly looked away from the road.
I couldn't hold his stare, turning my head to avoid the weight of his implications.
---
That night, I dreamed of cold steel and bright lights. I was lying on a table, legs in stirrups, while faceless doctors moved around me. One held what looked like a vacuum hose, and I knew—with that certain dream knowledge—they were going to suck a life out of me.
I woke up gasping, drenched in sweat, fighting against the sheets tangled around my legs.
"Liv?" Ethan's voice came through the darkness, his warm hand finding my back. "What's wrong?"
"Nightmare," I managed, my voice shaking. "I dreamed I was having an abortion. It felt so real."
He pulled me against his chest, stroking my hair. "It was just a dream."
"It scared me. It was so cold, and I was all alone..."
"You're never alone when you're with me," he murmured, lips brushing my forehead. "Before you turn twenty, I won't let that kind of accident happen."
I pulled back slightly, looking up at his moonlit face. "And after I turn twenty?"
His gaze was steady, unwavering. "After you turn twenty, we'll keep it."
I stared at him, speechless. I suspected I was still dreaming—that I hadn't actually woken from my nightmare.
My expression seemed to irritate him. "You don't want that?" he asked, his voice low.
I licked my lips nervously. "I think twenty is still too young, and besides..."
"Besides what?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.
I looked at his threatening expression and lost my nerve, pressing my lips together and shaking my head. "Nothing."
"Olivia, in these six months we've been together, have you never thought about being with me forever?"
Forever?
The corner of my mouth twitched up in an involuntary smile, as if I'd heard a ridiculous joke.
I was smiling, but Ethan wasn't. Seeing his expression grow increasingly dark, I stopped smiling and looked at him softly. "Is it up to what I want?" I asked gently.
Ethan reached out and stroked my hair. "As long as you want it, it's possible."
I buried my face against his chest again, feeling his strong, steady heartbeat as I spoke. "Ethan, you know very well that no one would interfere with us dating briefly. But if you wanted to marry me, probably the whole world would object."
I lifted my head again, smiling at him as I asked the question that had been in my heart: "Ethan, would you really dare to defy your entire family for me? Would you sacrifice your career path and give up your power for me?"
He didn't answer, and I didn't feel disappointed. In fact, I felt reassured, because this was exactly what I'd expected. If Ethan had truly said he would give up his power for me, I would have been terrified.
Because if that happened, the Bennett family would never let me go.
---
The week after New Year's, UCLA's campus buzzed with returning students. In the rehearsal hall of the Performing Arts Center, I stood at a table covered with lighting plans, my hair in a messy bun.
"The lighting in the central area needs adjustments," I said, pointing to the diagram. "During the last music performance, the soloists were practically in shadows."
Madison White, the Performing Arts Association president, nodded as she made notes. "I'll talk to the tech crew today."
After finalizing the program, I checked my phone and noticed a missed call from Ethan. I stepped into a quiet corner of the rehearsal hall and called him back.
"Hey," I said when he answered. "I'll be performing a solo at the Winter Arts Festival on New Year's Eve."
"What time?" His response was immediate.
"Eight o'clock. Royce Hall."
"I'll be there," he promised, his voice warm. "Wouldn't miss it for anything."
---
On the festival day, Royce Hall hummed with activity. Backstage, I stood before a mirror in a deep navy gown, checking my makeup.
With thirty minutes until showtime, I stood at the stage edge, mentally rehearsing.
I paced back and forth, focused on breathing exercises, when my foot caught on an audio cable. I stumbled forward, losing balance and pitching toward the edge of the stage.
A hand shot out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back. Leo Winters from the Music Department had moved quickly, catching me before I could fall.
"Careful!" he said, steadying me. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, thank you," I gasped, heart racing. "I didn't see the cable."
As I smiled gratefully at him, movement at the main entrance caught my eye. Three men in suits had just entered—and my heart stopped when I recognized Ethan in the center.
President Reynolds and Dean Williams stood beside him, both looking deferential as Ethan surveyed the theater.