Chapter 4 Fractured Bonds

Chapter 4 – Fractured Bonds

Mia couldn't sleep. The weight of everything pressed down on her chest, making it impossible to relax. Ethan's betrayal, Sophie's secret, her own lies to Liam-it all swirled in her mind like a storm she couldn't escape. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying Ethan's words over and over.

"You're not just another girl."

But that's exactly how she felt now. Like she had been one in a long line of women to fall for his charms, to get swept up in the fantasy of being with someone older, more experienced. Someone who could make her feel things she never thought possible. And now, the fantasy was crumbling.

When morning came, Mia pulled herself out of bed, her body heavy with exhaustion. She had agreed to meet Sophie today, but the thought of facing her friend made her stomach churn. How could she even begin to talk about what had happened?

As she showered and dressed, she tried to steel herself for the conversation ahead. Sophie was her best friend, the one person who had always been there for her. But now, knowing that Sophie had slept with Ethan, Mia couldn't help but feel betrayed. It didn't matter that it had happened before Mia and Ethan had gotten together. What mattered was that Sophie hadn't told her.

Mia brushed her fingers through her damp hair, staring at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize the girl looking back at her-tired, anxious, and more confused than ever. She had always prided herself on being in control, on knowing what she wanted. But now, her life felt like it was spiraling, and she didn't know how to stop it.

At noon, Mia arrived at the café where she and Sophie had agreed to meet. It was a small, cozy place with floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light. The kind of place they used to come to all the time, back when things were simple.

Sophie was already there, sitting at a corner table, her fingers nervously fidgeting with her coffee cup. When she saw Mia walk in, her face lit up with a hesitant smile, but Mia could see the tension in her friend's eyes.

Mia took a deep breath and walked over to the table, sliding into the chair across from Sophie.

"Hey," Sophie said softly, her voice tentative.

"Hey." Mia's voice was flat, her emotions tightly wound.

There was a long, awkward silence between them. Sophie looked down at her hands, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup.

"I'm sorry," Sophie blurted out suddenly, her eyes filling with guilt. "I should have told you about Ethan. I didn't know how to-"

"You didn't know how to?" Mia cut her off, her voice sharper than she intended. "Sophie, we're supposed to be best friends. We tell each other everything. How could you keep something like this from me?"

Sophie winced, her hands trembling as she set the cup down. "I know. I messed up, okay? But it happened a long time ago, and I didn't think it mattered anymore. I never wanted to hurt you."

"Well, you did," Mia snapped, the anger she had been holding back finally bubbling to the surface. "I trusted you. And now I find out you've been hiding something like this? How am I supposed to feel?"

"I don't know," Sophie whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I was scared, Mia. Scared that if I told you, it would ruin everything. I didn't want to lose you."

Mia's heart softened at Sophie's words, but the hurt still lingered. "You should have trusted me. You should have told me the truth from the beginning."

"I know," Sophie said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

Mia sighed, leaning back in her chair. She wanted to forgive Sophie, to let it go and move on, but it wasn't that simple. This wasn't just about Sophie-it was about Ethan, and the lies, and everything that had been kept from her.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Mia asked, her voice trembling with the weight of the question. "Why did Ethan keep this from me?"

Sophie looked down, her expression pained. "I don't know. Maybe he didn't think it was important. Or maybe he didn't want to lose you either."

Mia's throat tightened. She hated how much this hurt. How much it was tearing her apart inside.

"I need some time, Sophie," Mia said finally, her voice strained. "I just... I need to figure things out."

Sophie nodded, her eyes sad but understanding. "Take all the time you need. I'll be here when you're ready to talk."

Mia stood up, her heart heavy as she turned to leave. She didn't know what she was going to do next, but she knew she couldn't stay here. Not with Sophie, not with all these emotions swirling inside her.

Mia walked through the city in a daze, her mind racing with a hundred different thoughts. She couldn't go home-not yet. She wasn't ready to face Liam, not when her own life was falling apart.

She found herself wandering toward Ethan's penthouse again, her feet moving on autopilot. She didn't know why she was going there. Maybe part of her wanted answers. Maybe part of her just wanted to see him, to feel that electric pull she always felt when they were together.

When she arrived, she hesitated at the door, her hand hovering over the buzzer. Was this a mistake? Should she be here, after everything that had happened?

Before she could decide, the door swung open, and Ethan stood there, his expression a mix of surprise and concern.

"Mia," he said, his voice low. "What are you doing here?"

She didn't answer right away, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't know what she wanted from him-an apology, an explanation, something to make sense of it all.

"Can we talk?" she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan stepped aside, letting her in. The familiar scent of his cologne filled the air as she walked past him, her nerves on edge.

They stood there in silence for a moment, the tension between them thick and palpable.

"What do you want to talk about?" Ethan asked, his voice soft but guarded.

Mia turned to face him, her heart racing. She didn't know how to put it into words, how to explain the confusion and pain swirling inside her. But she knew one thing for sure-she needed the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me about Sophie?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Ethan's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "Mia, I-"

"Don't give me excuses," she interrupted, her voice rising. "I need to know why you kept this from me. Was it because it didn't matter to you? Or was it because you knew it would change everything?"

Ethan took a step toward her, his gaze intense. "It didn't matter because it wasn't about you. What I had with Sophie was a mistake, something that happened before we ever got involved. I didn't tell you because I didn't want it to come between us."

"Well, it has," Mia said, her voice cracking. "And now I don't know what to believe anymore."

Ethan reached out, his hand brushing her arm. "Mia, I'm not going to lose you over this."

She pulled away, her chest tightening with a mix of frustration and longing. "I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

Ethan's eyes softened, his voice gentle. "You can. I swear to you, Mia. What we have is real."

But as much as she wanted to believe him, the doubt lingered in her heart. And as she looked into his eyes, she realized she wasn't sure of anything anymore.