Chapter 5 Fading Shadows

The days after the gallery opening felt like a strange kind of calm, a stillness that came with an unspoken understanding between Clara and Ethan. The tension that had plagued their relationship seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a newfound closeness. But beneath the surface, something else was stirring: an undercurrent of doubt, of things left unsaid, of feelings too raw to confront.

Clara had started to think that she could walk both her world and Ethan's, that she could stand on her own two feet without being defined by her relationship with him. But as the days went by, she saw the whispers coming back. Not just about her success, but about her relationship with Ethan. The questions lingered: was she using him for her career? Was she just another woman in his long line of admirers?

It was not just the public that was unsettling Clara, however. There were subtle changes in Ethan, and he still remained the man she loved the man who made her feel she was more than just an artist, someone worth cherishing. But of late, there was a distance in his eyes, a flicker of something she couldn't quite place.

It was the night of yet another elite-angled soiree, to which Ethan was invited to speak and Clara had graciously agreed to join him. The place is wonderful a high-end gala, bursting with businessmen, investors, artists, and socialites, all in attendance mingling over champagne as chandeliers hung from above. And Clara felt like a fish swimming out of water, feeling the stream of keen eyes on her every movement.

Standing with Ethan in the corner of the room, a face came up that she recognized Avery Knox one of Ethan's business associates.

Avery was gorgeous, full of herself, and that type of woman who seemed always just a little too perfect. That kind of woman who walked into a room and took all attention with her.

Clara felt a hard knot in her stomach at the moment that Avery moved toward them, the heels clicking on the marble floor.

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Clara Hayes," she said with a sly smile. Her eyes flickered briefly in the direction of Ethan, and Clara felt a chill. "I have to say, your work is impressive. I have seen some of your pieces at other galleries," she said.

Clara tried to smile. "Thank you. It's been an interesting couple of months."

Ethan, ever the thoughtful host, touched Clara lightly on the back. "Clara's work speaks for itself, Avery," he said, his voice steady, but Clara couldn't help feeling that, for one moment, Avery's eyes lingered on him.

Avery smiled again as her attention returned to Ethan. "Oh, I'm sure it does. You've always had an eye for talent, haven't you?"

Clara's heart was racing. There was something in the way Avery looked at Ethan something far too intimate for a casual conversation they were having. She forced a deep breath, but the discomfort gnawed at her.

Ethan's hand stayed on her back, but the weight of his touch was different now; it didn't feel just for her. It felt as though it was made to say something.

"Let's grab a drink," he suggested, trying to break the tension, but Clara could feel the space between them growing.

The rest of the night dragged on, each moment stretching longer than the last. Clara tried to engage in conversation with a few of the other guests, but her mind kept returning to Avery and Ethan. The way their interactions had felt too comfortable, too familiar.

She looked across the room and saw them together again, this time laughing Avery's hand lightly touching Ethan's arm, her head tilting back as if she'd known him for years.

Clara's stomach twisted. She hated this feeling, hated the jealousy that was creeping up, like a shadow that threatened to swallow her whole.

Her mind was disturbed when a sharp tapping sounded on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Mia, her eyes looking over the gathering of people in the hall.

"You are not deceiving everyone," Mia whispered, low as ever. "What's wrong?"

Clara hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know. There's something in the air between Ethan and me tonight. Distant. The more time spent away, maybe it is as if he focuses on Avery much more than on me."

Mia lifted an eyebrow. "Talk to him about this?"

Clara shook her head. "I don't want to sound paranoid, but I feel like I am losing him. And the more I try to hold on, the more I feel like he slips through my fingers."

Mia gave Clara a sympathetic look, but Clara could see the concern in her eyes.

"You're not overreacting. Trust your instincts. But you have to talk to him. You deserve to know what's going on."

Clara nodded, but she could not shake the feeling that something much deeper was happening. Something she wasn't ready to confront.

Later that evening, after the gala ended, Clara and Ethan returned to his penthouse. The silence between them was suffocating, and Clara's nerves were on edge.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," Ethan said, breaking the silence as he headed toward the bathroom.

Clara stood there in the middle of the living room with the quiet weighing in on her. She could still feel the residual tension that was there some minutes earlier, with uncertainty hanging in the air.

As Ethan went into the bathroom, Clara could not restrain herself. She pulled out her phone and opened the social media app where Avery had posted a picture from the event. It was a candid shot, a beautiful picture of Ethan and Avery laughing together.

Clara's breath caught in her throat as she stared at it, the jealousy burning in her chest like fire.

But what struck her even more was the comment beneath the photo. "Always great to see you two together. Can't wait for the next big thing."

Clara felt her stomach churn. Together. That word echoed in her mind. She could no longer ignore the suspicion that had been gnawing at her. Was there something between Ethan and Avery that she didn't know about?

When Ethan came back, the air was thick between them. Clara stood by the window, with her arms folded over her chest, staring into the city outside. He took a slow pace toward her, feeling the electricity in the air.

"Clara?" Ethan asked warily. "What's going on?"

Clara turned to face him, her voice tight. "You tell me, Ethan. What is going on between you and Avery?"

Ethan blinked, completely taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

Clara's heart was racing, but she pushed on. "The way you look at her, the way you two talk it's like there's something there. And I can't keep pretending I don't feel it."

Ethan's expression faltered for a moment, then hardened. "Clara, you're being paranoid. Avery and I are colleagues. Nothing more."

Really? "Clara said, her voice raising, "Because it doesn't feel like nothing when I see you laughing with her, touching her like that."

Ethan took a deep breath, jaw clenched. "This has nothing to do with Avery. This is your insecurities speaking. You are scared, and I get it. But you can't take this and blow it out of proportion."

Tears welled up in Clara's eyes. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

Ethan's eyes softened a little, and he took a step closer to her. "Clara, look at me. There is nothing between Avery and me. But there is something between you and me. And if you let your jealousy tear us apart, then I don't know where we're going."

Clara took a step backward, her heart heavy. "I don't know if I can do this anymore, Ethan. I don't know if I can keep fighting for something that might not be real."

Ethan's face twisted with frustration, but there was something else there something that told her he didn't want to lose her. "Clara, don't do this. Please. Let's talk this through."

But Clara was already turning away, her mind and heart a storm of conflicting emotions. The love she felt for Ethan, the jealousy, the doubts it was all too much. She needed space to breathe and to figure out what was real.

"I need some time," she whispered, her voice breaking.

And with that, she walked away.