Chapter 4

Eric's threat rang out loud and clear, each word wrapped in his usual air of lofty condescension.

He felt certain I could not live without him.

Yet I laughed.

I raised my eyes to meet Eric's glare that screamed "you wouldn't dare," and spoke three words clearly and calmly. "Fine, no marriage."

The air seemed to freeze for a second.

The anger on Eric's face stalled at once, turning into shock.

He probably never imagined I would respond that way. Deep down, he believed I would beg for his forgiveness.

I often treasured our hard-won bond. Each time, I yielded to preserve our relationship, hoping he would one day grasp my good intentions.

I spared him another glance, turned to Ethan, and said. "Ethan, thank you. Let's go."

"You..." Eric sounded like a cat with its tail stepped on. He reached out instinctively to grab me, his voice pitching higher. "Maeve, did you mean that?"

Ethan's tall frame shifted forward just enough to shield me without effort. He bent down quietly and hoisted the heaviest box with one hand.

Actions spoke louder than words.

Eric lost his footing entirely. The control he prided himself on crumbled in that moment, leaving only awkward desperation.

In the middle of this tense standoff, Eric's phone shrilled.

He fumbled to answer it. A frantic female voice came through from the other end, Laurie's agent. "Eric! Laurie... she locked herself in the studio. Said the stress overwhelmed her and she did not want to live anymore!"

I paused mid-step and looked back.

Laurie had slipped away unnoticed at some point to stage another tearful drama.

Eric's face drained of color in a flash.

On one side stood me, about to slip from his grasp forever. On the other waited his "life-or-death" confidante.

He barely hesitated.

Male logic snapped back into place. He found his out and his scapegoat.

He shoved past Ethan at the door, eyes bloodshot as he bellowed at me. "Maeve, you win this round!"

With that, he bolted into the elevator without a backward glance.

He never looked at me once.

The elevator doors slid shut slowly, reflecting my serene face.

"He always did that," I said to Ethan beside me. "Used one duty to dodge another."

I picked up the last box myself.

We climbed into Ethan's rugged SUV, and the street views blurred past the window.

I pulled out my phone, found Eric's number, and blocked it, then deleted.

I located Laurie's chat and blocked it, then deleted.

Once finished, I leaned back in the seat and let out a long breath of stale air.

The world fell quiet.

The car stayed silent, save for the steady hum of the engine.

Ethan kept his eyes on the road ahead and broke the quiet, his voice low and steady as ever. "Maeve, since he did not cherish you, would you consider me?"

I froze in stunned silence and turned to him, unsure what he meant.

He finally turned his face toward me, meeting my gaze.

No pity filled his eyes, no hesitation. Only pure sincerity and respect shone there.

He reached into the car console for a velvet box, opened it, and revealed a sparkling diamond necklace. "Back then, I arrived a step too late. Did I still have a chance to give this now?"