Chapter 128 Collision
The city lights stretched endlessly across the windshield, painting faint gold streaks on Ethan's car as it glided through the quiet night. He leaned back, one hand resting against his chin, the other draped loosely on his lap. A small, unexpected chuckle escaped him.
He had just remembered Hugo's face earlier that day, that nervous mix of courage and hesitation before he finally confessed that he was seeing Sophie. Ethan had known long before Hugo opened his mouth. Sophie might live without bodyguards shadowing her every move, but she was never truly unprotected. Ethan made sure of that.
When his security team first reported it, he was surprised. Hugo? Of all people. But then the thought settled, and it didn't seem so absurd anymore. He'd watched Hugo for years, calm, reliable, unshaken even in chaos. A man of few words and steady hands. Ethan knew him well enough to vouch for him, even recommend him to Sophie if it ever came to that.
So, he hadn't interfered. He'd simply observed in silence, as always.
He tilted his head slightly, watching the blur of streetlights pass by through the tinted window. For a man like him, trust was not easily given, yet with Hugo, it came naturally. Sophie had always drawn gentle souls toward her; perhaps it was the softness she carried, that rare calm that reminded him of everything his world lacked.
The gates opened soundlessly as Ethan's car rolled into the estate, the headlights cutting across the quiet driveway. He stepped out once the driver stopped, adjusting his suit jacket as the night breeze brushed past him. The house stood tall and still, Just the way he liked it.
Inside, the faint hum of the air conditioning greeted him. He loosened his tie as he made his way in, his thoughts still somewhere between Hugo's awkward confession and Sophie's calm, knowing smile. But as he walked past the sitting room, something unexpected caught his attention.
Lena.
She was curled up on the massive couch, her eyes fixed on the huge television screen. The soft flicker of the movie light played across her face. It was unusual she rarely left her room, and he couldn't remember the last time anyone had used the sitting room like this.
He paused at the doorway, debating whether to interrupt or just let her be. But before he could decide, Lena turned, sensing the presence behind her.
Her expression lit up instantly. "Welcome back," she said with a small, warm smile.
Ethan felt his usual restraint soften. Without thinking much of it, he walked closer and dropped onto the couch beside her, the sound of his suit brushing against the leather, the only noise in the room for a moment.
He leaned back, stretching one arm along the top of the couch, his eyes flicking briefly to the screen. Some romantic drama was playing, the kind of thing he'd never willingly sit through. Yet, at that moment, it didn't really matter. He wasn't watching the movie.
His gaze lingered on Lena. The soft glow from the television brushed against her face, catching the faint curve of her lips as she smiled at some scene he didn't understand.
"What are you watching?" he asked, his voice low, calm, more curious than casual.
Lena didn't look at him right away. "Just a movie Penny recommended," she said after a moment, her tone casual. "She said I'd love it, and honestly, she was right."
"Penny?" he repeated, pretending to sound unfamiliar though he knew exactly who she meant.
"Yeah," Lena said, her lips curving slightly. "She's been begging me to watch it for weeks. Said I'd end up obsessed." A quiet laugh escaped her, soft and distracted. "She was right again."
Ethan's brow lifted slightly. "Looks... interesting."
"It is," she murmured absently, not realizing he was still watching her instead of the movie.
He studied her for another moment, the calmness in her voice, the ease she had now that wasn't there when they'd first met. It was strange how she could look so at home here without even trying.
"You don't usually come down here," he said after a pause.
"Yeah," she murmured. "Couldn't sleep."
He studied her profile. "Does this help?"
"Sometimes," she replied, shrugging lightly. "Better than staring at the ceiling."
Silence settled again, broken only by the TV's faint dialogue. Ethan leaned a little closer, pretending to follow the story, though he hadn't processed a single scene.
Ethan tried again. A few harmless questions here and there, about the movie, about Penny, even about what snacks she'd hidden on the table, but Lena barely responded. Each time, her answers got shorter, lighter, until they faded completely.
He said something else then, a dry comment meant to tease her, but she didn't even hear it. Her eyes stayed locked on the screen, her expression calm and completely absorbed.
Ethan's jaw tightened slightly. He leaned back for a moment, watching her. It wasn't anger that stirred in him, just something unfamiliar. He didn't like being ignored, not in his own house. And definitely not by her.
He shifted forward, resting his forearms on his knees, eyes still on her. "Lena," he said quietly.
No answer.
She was smiling faintly at the movie, unaware of how closely he was watching her.
He stood it for another second, then moved closer, slowly, deliberately, until the space between them narrowed. Her scent, light and fresh, lingered faintly in the air. He could hear the low rhythm of her breathing, see the glow of the television reflected in her eyes.
Ethan didn't even know why he moved closer; he just knew he wanted her attention, and she wasn't giving it.
As he leaned in, the space between them disappeared, his presence filling the air around her. Lena finally turned, sensing the closeness, and froze. Ethan was already near enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. The sudden nearness made her pulse stumble.
Her eyes lifted slowly to meet his, and for a moment, neither of them moved. The television flickered behind them, throwing shifting shadows across his face. His expression was unreadable , calm, composed, but his gaze... it held something that made her forget how to breathe.
She stared at him, her thoughts slipping for a moment before something clicked in her mind. Those eyes. That same sharp, piercing calm she'd seen before, not here, not in person, but in that photo. The one she'd stared at for too long, the one that had stirred something she hadn't been able to name.
Ethan didn't say anything. He just watched her, quietly aware that, finally, he had her full attention.
Ethan felt the shift the moment her eyes met his. For the first time that night, she wasn't focused on the movie, she was looking at him. Really looking.
And suddenly, he faltered.
He had wanted her attention, craved it even without understanding why, but now that he had it, he didn't know what to do with it. Her gaze held his longer than he expected, calm, searching, a little uncertain. It disarmed him in a way nothing else ever did.