Semua Bab Puck, Passion, and Broken Promises: Bab 21 - Bab 30

The honeymoon is over.Literally.We're back in Seattle. Back in his house. Back in reality. The lake is gray. The sky is gray. The world feels heavier. Like it's pressing down on us.Noah is at school. His first day of kindergarten. He was so excited this morning. He couldn't stop bouncing. He didn't even look back when I dropped him off. He just ran through the doors, his backpack bouncing, his dinosaur lunchbox swinging. My heart broke and healed at the same time.Ethan is in his office. On the phone. His voice is tight. Controlled. Angry."I don't care what they want. I'm not doing it."A pause."No. I said no. That's final."Another pause. Longer this time."Tell them if they want a comment, they can call my lawyer. And then they can call my other lawyer. And then they can call my publicist. And then they can call my assistant. And then they can call my assistant's assistant. I'm done talking."He hangs up. Hard. The phone rattles on the desk.I walk in. "Everything okay?""Fine.

I wake up to the sound of my name."Ava."Soft. Desperate. Almost a whisper. Like a prayer. Like a plea. Like he's begging the universe not to take me away.I open my eyes. Ethan is beside me. Still asleep. His face is twisted. His brow is furrowed. His hands are clenched into fists. His whole body is tense."Ava. Don't go. Please. Don't leave me. I can't do this without you. I can't breathe without you. I can't exist without you."He's dreaming about me. Dreaming about losing me. Dreaming about the three years we lost. The three years I was gone. The three years he spent drowning."Ethan." I touch his face. My fingers trace his jaw. His stubble is rough. "Ethan, wake up. I'm here. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."His eyes snap open. He's breathing hard. His chest is heaving. His hand finds my wrist."Are you okay? Are you okay?"He blinks. Looks at me. His hand finds mine. His grip is tight. Almost too tight."Did I wake you? Did I say something?""Yes. You were calling my na

The house feels different now.It's not just a house anymore. It's not just a building with walls and windows and a roof. It's home. It's ours. It's where we built our family. It's where we found each other again. It's where we learned to love again.But the walls feel closer today. The air is heavier. Sanders' words are still echoing in my head like a warning siren. Like a threat. Like a promise of more pain to come.I'm in the kitchen. Making coffee. Trying to pretend everything is normal. Trying to pretend I'm not terrified. Trying to pretend my hands aren't shaking.Ethan walks in. His eyes are still hollow. But there's something else there too. Determination. Fire. The will to fight. The will to survive."Good morning.""Morning.""How did you sleep? Did you get any rest at all?""Didn't. Couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face. I saw Sanders' face. I heard his voice.""Me neither. I just lay there staring at the ceiling. Counting the minutes until morning."He pour

The morning is tense.The air is thick. Heavy. Suffocating. The house feels smaller than it used to. Like the walls are closing in. Like the ceiling is dropping. Like the world is shrinking around us. Like everything we've built is about to collapse.Ethan is on the phone again. His voice is sharp. Commanding. He's not asking. He's telling. He's demanding. He's fighting. He's raging against the darkness."I want her protected. 24/7. I don't care what it costs. I don't care who you have to hire. I don't care how many people it takes. I don't care if you have to camp out in her front yard. I don't care if you have to move her to a safe house."A pause. His jaw tightens. His hand clenches into a fist."Yes, I'm sure. She's a witness. She's in danger. She's the key to everything. She's the one who can bring him down. She's the one who can give us justice. She's the one who can set us free."Another pause. His knuckles go white. His face goes pale."Call me if anything happens. Anything. E

The morning after Vanessa's arrival, the house feels different.Lighter. Hopeful. Like we finally have an ally. Like we finally have a chance. Like the tide is turning. Like the darkness is finally lifting. Like the sun is finally breaking through the clouds. Like we can finally breathe. Like we can finally live. Like we can finally hope.Ethan is in the kitchen. Making coffee. He's almost smiling. His shoulders are relaxed. His eyes are clear. The tension is gone from his jaw. The weight is lifted from his shoulders. The darkness is gone from his eyes. He looks like a man who's been reborn. A man who's been given a second chance."Good morning.""Good morning. You look different. You look like a different person. You look like the man I fell in love with. You look like the man I married. You look like the man I've been waiting to see.""You look happy. You actually look happy. I haven't seen you like this in weeks. I haven't seen you like this since before my father died. Since befor