NovelNext Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Late at night, I sat alone at the bar, sipping my drink like it was the only thing holding me together. I knew this wasn't the answer, but the weight of everything was crushing me. Harrison had the audacity to parade his mistress around in front of me, knowing full well I had a moral compass that would never let me ruin our family's name.
Being Nina had always meant playing the part, being the perfect heiress, the wealthy girl with a flawless reputation, but nobody ever asked if that was really who I was. It was all expectations, all carefully curated appearances. But what about what I wanted?
By the time Ethan walked in, I was already tipsy, my mind spinning. I went to take another sip, but before I could, a hand snatched the glass away. I looked up, irritated, only to see Ethan standing there, looking like he'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine, sharp suit, wire-rimmed glasses, and that confident grin.
"Nina, come with me. I want to take you somewhere," he said, his voice low and smooth.
"Where... where are we going?" My head was fuzzy, but I still tried to focus.
Ethan didn't answer. He just grabbed my hand and pulled me outside.
I always thought Ethan had a soft side, despite his sharp sarcasm. But when he slammed the accelerator to the floor, I realized just how wrong I'd been. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I wasn't scared. If anything, something inside me, a part of me I hadn't felt in a long time, was waking up.
When we got out of the car, Ethan shot me a surprised look, noticing I wasn't even flinching. His eyebrow arched.
"You're nothing like I imagined," he said.
I smirked. "What did you think I'd be like?"
"Not like a still pond that can't even make a ripple," he replied. We exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. It felt so damn good, like I hadn't really laughed in ages.
For so long, I had been orbiting Harrison, chasing the idea of being his wife. But now, with Ethan, it was different. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was myself.
"Got a cigarette?" he asked, glancing up at the stars, his jaw sharp, eyes soft with a tenderness I wasn't expecting.
I watched him pull out a pack of cigarettes, ladies' cigarettes, no less, and raised an eyebrow. "Who'd you steal those from? One of your mistresses?"
"I bought them myself," he said, as cool as ever.
I eyed him skeptically, but in that moment, I didn't care. I needed something to steady my nerves. Didn't matter where the cigarettes came from.
The truth was, I wasn't the porcelain doll Harrison thought I was. I had hidden my sharp edges for years, trying to be the woman Harrison wanted me to be.
I took a drag, then turned to him. "Why did you say I should choose you over Harrison? What do you have that he doesn't?"
"I have power. I have status..." he started, his words deliberate.
It was true. Ethan came from power, and as far as marriage material went, he wasn't a bad choice. But that wasn't all I was after.
Without thinking, I grabbed his tie and pulled him close, blowing a puff of smoke in his face. "But I want a marriage. Can you give me that?"
He looked at me for a long moment, then answered, firm and steady, "I can."
Before I could react, Ethan cupped my head in his hand and kissed me. It started slow, tentative, but quickly deepened as if he couldn't hold back anymore.
"Nina," he whispered against my lips, "let me be your rock. Please."