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As I stood there, frozen in place, he started to walk toward me. Each step he took felt like a challenge, daring me to confront the reality of who he was and what we had. I wanted to run, to hide from the confusion and hurt that was bubbling up inside me, but my feet refused to move.
“Natalie,” he said softly when he finally reached me, his voice laced with something I couldn’t quite place—regret, maybe, or longing. “Can we talk?”
I stared at him, taking in the sight of the man I thought I knew. His gaze was as I remembered, but there was an edgeto him now, a rawness that hadn’t been there before. The realization that this was the real Ethan—the billionaire, the CEO, the man who had kept so much hidden from me—hit me like a punch to the gut.
“What are you doing here, Ethan?” I asked, my voice barely steady.
“I came to see you,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine. “I have something important I need to tell you, but I?—.”
“Tell me?! I had to figure it out on my own,” I cut him off, my frustration boiling over. “Ethan, you didn’t just ‘forget’ to tell me you’re a billionaire. You lied by omission. You let me think you were someone you’re not.”
His expression tightened, but he didn’t back down. “You’re right,” he admitted, his voice firm. “I screwed up. But it wasn’t because I didn’t care. I didn’t know how to tell you, and by the time I realized how much I—” He paused, searching for the right words. “By the time I realized how much you meant to me, I was in too deep. I didn’t want to lose you when you found out we were from two completely different worlds.”
The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, chipping away at the wall of anger I’d been trying so hard to maintain. But the hurt was still there, raw and aching. “You lied to me! You lied about the watch! You lied about your father’s illness! And now? You show up here like this, expecting what, Ethan? That everything will go back to normal?”
“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “I don’t expect that at all. I… I needed to see you. I needed to try to make things right.”
“Make things right?” I repeated, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “You think showing up here and throwing your money around is going to fix this?”
“It’s not about the money, Natalie,” he said, his tone growing more urgent. “It’s about you. About us. I can’t lose you, not without at least trying to explain.”
I hesitated, my emotions warring within me. Part of me wanted to listen, to give him the chance to explain himself. But another part of me—the part that had been hurt and betrayed—was screaming for me to walk away, to protect myself from any more pain.
Before I could respond, Jess appeared at my side, her expression a mix of concern and protectiveness. “Nat, maybe we should take a breather,” she suggested, her eyes flicking to Ethan with a look that was anything but friendly.
“Yeah, I… I think that’s a good idea,” I agreed, my voice shaky. I needed space, needed time to process everything that was happening.
But as I turned to leave, Ethan reached out, gently taking my hand. His touch was warm and familiar, and it sent a shiver down my spine. “Natalie, please,” he pleaded, his voice low and desperate. “Just give me a chance to explain. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m asking anyway.”
I looked down at our joined hands, my heart pounding in my ears. The connection between us was undeniable. And despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to pull away.
“I don’t know, Ethan,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to decide now,” he said softly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Just… think about it. Please. I’ve got a room at the Ceder Cove Inn. I’ll be there for a few days.”
I nodded slowly, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. “Okay,” I agreed, my voice barely audible. “But I need time, Ethan. I can’t just do whatever you want… I need time.”
He nodded in understanding, his grip on my hand gentle yet firm. “Take all the time you need,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet determination. “I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
With that, I pulled my hand from his grasp, the loss of contact sending a pang of longing through me. As I walked awaywith Jess, I could feel his eyes on me, could feel the importance of the decision I would eventually have to make.
But for now, all I wanted was to escape the chaos in my heart, to find some semblance of peace amid the storm that Ethan had brought back into my life.
As the day wore on, I tried to focus on the fundraiser—on the kids’ laughter and the smiles of the parents. But Ethan’s presence lingered, his words echoing in my mind. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, I knew that this wasn’t over—not by a long shot.
And as much as I hated to admit it, a part of me wasn’t sure I wanted it to be.
Eighteen
Natalie
The fundraiser had been a success, but the day was far from over. Jess and I were among the last few left at the park, overseeing the cleanup as the evening air cooled slightly, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves as we worked.
"Well, that went off without a hitch," Jess said, grinning as she packed away the last of the decorations. "I think we might’ve outdone ourselves this year."
"Yeah," I responded, flashing her a smile that barely masked the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind. Jess picked up on it immediately. "You keeping it together?" she inquired casually, but the underlying worry was unmistakable.
I nodded, though the reality was far from simple. "I'm hanging in there. Just trying to wrap my head around everything," I admitted.
