LOGIN{Third person's pov}That evening... The drive back to the mansion was quiet not because anything was wrong but because everything finally felt... lighter.The weight that had settled between them over the past few days had begun to disappear.After dinner... The two of them wandered upstairs.Ethan changed into a pair of black lounge pants and a plain T-shirt.Natasha had long since grown comfortable enough to borrow one of his shirts.She sat cross-legged on the bed while Ethan finished arranging a few documents on the bedside table.When he finally joined her... The room fell into a comfortable silence.Natasha absent-mindedly twisted the ring on her finger. "Ethan?""Hm?" He replied and she continued. "Can we talk about something?"He turned toward her immediately. "Always." She took a slow breath. "It's about us."He waited patiently and she appreciated that about him, he never interrupted and never rushed her."I've been thinking....and there's something I need you to understand
{Third person's pov}The apartment was quiet, too quiet. Natasha had forgotten what silence sounded like, no footsteps outside her bedroom.No scent of coffee drifting upstairs because Ethan had woken before her.Just... Silence, she had returned to her apartment two nights ago, she hadn't cried and she hadn't slept much either.Her phone lay untouched on the coffee table, dozens of notifications covered the screen, emails, messages from photographers.Her manager asking about upcoming campaigns, a reminder from Ramos Media regarding a meeting she had requested leave from.She had declined every shoot, cancelled every appearance, requested two days off but she wasn't ill.She simply... Couldn't think, she curled herself into the corner of the sofa, her fingers absent-mindedly traced the ring resting on her left hand.It caught the morning sunlight, she still hadn't taken it off not because she had accepted the proposal, not because she had rejected it but because every time she reache
{Third person's pov}The mansion was unusually quiet, Natasha had noticed it the moment she returned from work.No staff bustling through the corridors, no voices, no music drifting from the living room. Just silence.She loosened her hair as she walked upstairs. "Ethan?"His voice answered from the end of the hallway. "I'm here."She turned and he was standing outside the one door she had never been allowed to enter, the same black wooden door, the same silver handle.The same room that had haunted her curiosity for months, he looked at it for a long moment before meeting her eyes."You were curious about what was behind this door." he said and Natasha's heartbeat quickened.He reached into his pocket and a small key rested in his palm and without any word... He unlocked the door.The lock clicked softly and he pushed it open.The room was dark and he reached for the switch, warm golden lights slowly illuminated the space.Natasha took one step inside, then another and the she stoppe
{Third person's pov}One Week Later... Life had quietly settled back into its familiar rhythm, Ramos Media was busy as always.Meetings filled Ethan's mornings and photoshoots filled Natasha's afternoons but evenings... Belonged to them.Some nights they cooked together, most nights they ordered takeout after Ethan admitted his cooking still wasn't trustworthy.It was ordinary and Natasha loved every second of it.That Saturday morning... She had barely finished setting the breakfast table when the mansion's doorbell echoed through the house.Natasha looked toward Ethan. "Were you expecting someone?"He folded the newspaper. "Yes.""Who?" She asked and he replied. "My cousin."Natasha blinked. "You have a cousin?"He gave her an amused look. "I have several.""You never mentioned them." She said and he replied."You never asked."Before Natasha could respond... The front door burst open. "Ethan!"A cheerful voice echoed through the mansion.The next second... A young woman hurried ins
{Third person's pov}Natasha woke before Ethan and the golden sunlight filtered through the thin white curtains of the seaside cottage.She quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, wrapping one of his oversized sweaters around herself, she stepped onto the small porch.The sea stretched endlessly before her, the air smelled of salt, the waves rolled gently onto the shore.She closed her eyes.For the first time in a very long time... She felt completely at peace.A few minutes later... She heard footsteps behind her."You escaped." She turned around.Ethan stood in the doorway, his hair was slightly messy from sleep.He held two steaming mugs of coffee. "I only escaped five metres." She said and he replied. "I still noticed."She smiled as he handed her one of the mugs. "Thank you."He nodded toward the beach. "Walk?""I'd love to." They made their way down to the shoreline.The morning was quiet, only a handful of people had arrived, some jogged along the water and others
{Third person's pov}A week had passed since Natasha returned to London, life had slowly begun finding its rhythm again, the bruises on her arms had faded.The nightmares came less often and for the first time in weeks... She drove herself.Her destination was familiar, Maya's apartment and the moment Maya opened the door... She squealed."There she is!"Before Natasha could react... Maya wrapped her in a tight hug. "I missed you, idiot."Natasha laughed. "I was gone for barely a week.""A week where you were kidnapped."Maya pulled back. "I'm allowed to be dramatic."Natasha rolled her eyes. "You've always been dramatic.""And you've always loved me for it." Maya said and Natasha replied. "I'll pretend that's true."They both laughed.An hour later... The two of them sat cross-legged on Maya's living room floor.Coffee mugs rested on the table between them. "So..."Maya leaned forward. "Tell me everything."Natasha smiled. "Everything?""Everything, no skipping details, no mysterious
{Third person's pov}Evan woke up irritated, the feeling followed him throughout the morning. Natasha hadn't come back to their bedroom.When he left for work, the guest room door was still closed, when he returned for lunch, it was closed again.She wasn't avoiding the apartment, she was avoiding
{Third person's pov}The drive home was quiet. Evan often worked during car rides, answering messages, checking reports, reviewing schedules, Tonight, he wasn't.His phone lay face down beside him. And that was somehow worse.Natasha kept her eyes on the city passing outside the window. She could f
{Third person's pov}If Evan had come home angry, slammed doors, shouted, Natasha would have known exactly what it was.Instead, he smiled. He brought her coffee the next morning. He kissed her forehead before leaving.He asked how she slept. And somehow, that felt worse.But wasn't it his habit? H
{Third person's pov}Evan didn’t slow down as he walked. Natasha followed, her steps quieter against the polished floor, her awareness sharper than before. His hand brushed briefly against her back as they entered the elevator, light, controlled.“Stay close,” he said as the doors closed. Silence p







