Chapter 8 – He Comes Begging
LYNN
I watched as Javier, his face flushed with embarrassment, retreated from the ballroom. The tension in the room was palpable, but Ethan, ever the diplomat, clapped his hands together and called for the attention of the guests.
“Well, that was certainly a moment,‘ Ethan said, his voice smooth and calm, cutting through the awkward silence. “But the party must go on, right?”
The guests, unsure for a moment, slowly began to pick up where they had left off. The music resumed, a slow, romantic melody, and the atmosphere began to shift back to its original mood–elegant, sophisticated, and carefree. It was as though nothing had happened at all. The murmurs quieted, and the laughter
returned, as if they were all eager to forget the uncomfortable scene they had just
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witnessed.
Ethan gave me a reassuring smile, and for a moment, the weight on my shoulders lightened. He had handled the situation well, turning a confrontation into something manageable. My parents, who had been staring at the exit where Javier had disappeared, turned their attention.
back to us.
They approached us hesitantly, their expressions softening as they got closer. My mother’s hard eyes flicked from Ethan to me, and then back to him. My father, who had been just as stunned by the turn of events, cleared his throat before speaking.
“Lynn,” my mother began, her voice less sharp now but still tinged with confusion.
“We… we didn’t know all of this was going on. We just didn’t know what to think.”
My father added, “We‘ re sorry if we caused any trouble. We just wanted the
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best for you.”
“I understand,” I said softly, my voice steady. “I’m sorry for the way things unfolded, but I appreciate you trying to make sense of everything.”
My mother nodded, her gaze softening.
“As long as you‘ re happy, Lynn,” she added with a small, almost uncertain smile. “If you‘ re sure this is what you want… then we’ll accept him.” She glanced at Ethan, her tone becoming warmer. “Welcome to the family.”
Ethan, ever the charmer, bowed his head slightly, his smile polite but genuine.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice smooth. “I’ll do everything I can to make Lynn happy.”
Ethan offered me his arm, and I took it without thinking. He led me to the dance floor, his hand at the small of my back as we joined the others who were already swaying to the music.
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As we moved together, I couldn’t help but feel the connection between us growing stronger. Ethan‘ s presence was comforting, and his touch, though firm, was gentle. His gaze never left me as we danced, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart race a little faster with every step we
took.
The way he held me close, the way our bodies moved in sync, it all felt so…
natural. Too natural. The boundaries I had set up in my mind began to blur, and I found myself caught between the whirlwind of emotions that had been
swirling inside me for days.
I had married him out of anger, out of a need to make Javier feel the same pain. he d made me feel, but now… now, with Ethan so close, I was beginning to wonder what this could be. Was it possible for me to feel something real for him?
I couldn’t deny the heat that was building between us, the unspoken tension that
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hung in the air. And yet, despite the chemistry, I felt a wave of unease. I
wasn’t ready for this. Not with Ethan, not
so soon.
As the song reached its crescendo, I gently pulled away, excusing myself from Ethan‘ s embrace with a forçed smile.
“I need some air,” I said, my voice a little breathless. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Ethan nodded, his eyes searching mine, but he didn’t press me.
I pushed through the double doors and onto the balcony, the cool night air hitting me like a breath of fresh air.
I leaned against the railing, trying to calm my racing thoughts. What was happening?
But before I could gather my thoughts, I heard footsteps behind me. I didn’t need
to turn around to know who it was. The
voice that followed was all too familiar.
“Lynn.”
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Javier.
I stiffened, my back straightening as I refused to look at him. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter.
“You betrayed me,” he said, his voice filled with accusation. “You’married him. After everything I said, everything I asked of you, you went and married him.”
I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me, but I kept my voice level, steady. “You have no shame, Javier,” I said coldly.
“You‘ re the one who left me. You‘ re the one who chose Nora. So don‘ t come here and try to make this my fault.”
Javier took a step closer, his expression hardening. “You‘ re not the victim here, Lynn. You could‘ ve waited for me. You could‘ ve-”
Before he could finish, a voice interrupted, one I recognized instantly.
“I thought you said you’d make her
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apologize, Javier?”
