Love Story2–Chapter 1
“Why didn’t you call me when you got off the plane? New York isn’t as safe as California,
you know.” Ethan came over, taking off his jacket and draping it over my shoulders. He held my freezing hands in his.
I suppressed my emotions and pulled my hands away. “I did call.” But it wasn’t him who
answered
As Ethan looked at me, confused, the beautiful girl next to him spoke up. “I’m so sorry!
Ethan, you were on a conference call with your team, and your phone was on the table. I
answered and told her to call back later, but then my phone died.”
The girl was stunning, the kind of beauty that turned heads. She was instantly likeable. I
had never met anyone so beautiful in real life. Standing next to Ethan, they were a
picture–perfect couple.
She came over and buttoned up the jacket for me. “Don’t blame Ethan, it’s all my fault. I hope you weren’t too inconvenienced.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s okay.”
She glanced at Ethan, comfortable and familiar. “If you were, you have to tell me, or Ethan
will never forgive me.”
Ethan laughed. “Who would dare mess with you? Your army of admirers would kill me.” He
turned to me. “Oh, I haven’t introduced you. This is my girlfriend, Sarah, and this is Ashley,
my friend.”
Ashley. A beautiful name that matched her bright and outgoing personality.
After Ashley followed Ethan upstairs, I finally asked him, “You live together?”
Ashley chimed in playfully. “Yep!”
Ethan sighed, but there was a smile in his eyes. “Yeah, Ashley’s old apartment had some…
issues, so I offered her the spare room here. It just made sense.”
12:27
Shattered Promises
Love Story2 Chapter 1
Ashley nudged him playfully. “He’s so confident, like he’s definitely safer than a few noisy neighbors! I don’t know about that.” She winked at me. “Guys can be dangerous, right, Sarah?”
I remained silent.
Ethan led me to his room. The furniture was the same as the one we had picked out together during our video calls. He took out an extra blanket and pillow.
you
You came alone? You really didn’t have to. I would have come to see you when I was done with this project. It’s almost over anyway.”
In Ethan’s mind, I was still the small–town girl who had never left California, let alone flown across the country. I hadn’t even traveled alone before, let alone taken a transcontinental flight.
“Yeah, I guess my timing wasn’t the best.”
I didn’t ask him why he was holding Ashley’s hand when they came home. All my emotions had been drained during the seven hours I spent waiting for him. The travel guide I meticulously prepared felt like a cruel joke.
When I saw Ethan and Ashley walking towards me, smiling, I felt mostly numb.
The truth was, there had been signs. Over the past month, ever since Ethan mentioned joining this project, our relationship had changed. We used to make time for video calls every day, sharing every little detail of our lives. Lately, he had been making excuses, saying he was too busy to even reply to my messages. The time difference felt wider than
ever,
Even though I noticed that Ethan, who had never been interested in academic projects, was suddenly deeply involved in one, even though I felt him growing increasingly distant, I kept telling myself everything was fine.
If he was busy, I would come to him.
“You know that’s not what I meant.” Ethan buried his head in my neck, his breath shallow. “This project has been really stressful, and I’ve been neglecting you. I’m sorry, Sarah.”
I excused myself to take a shower, avoiding his touch.
12:27
Shattered Promises
10.1%–
Love Story2–Chapter 1
After my shower, I turned off the lights. Ethan wrapped his arms around my waist, his voice low and husky. “Sarah, I’ve missed you so much.”
“Ethan, I’m on my period.”
Ethan paused and withdrew his hand, as if his mood had been instantly deflated. His phone lit up; someone had sent him a message. He didn’t hesitate to turn on the light and walk to his desk, opening his laptop.
You go to sleep. I need to work on the project for a bit longer.”
I watched him open the project file, not changing a single word, but taking several screenshots. He checked his phone repeatedly, a smile constantly playing on his lips.
After half an hour, he seemed to remember my presence and turned around apologetically. “Sorry, Sarah, there’s something I need to fix in the project. I’ve been so busy with it lately… You probably wouldn’t understand it anyway. And hey, don’t let Ashley’s sweet looks fool you. She’s a fierce debater, absolutely demolished the other teams. Her English is incredible, puts us all to shame.” He said it with a hint of pride in his voice.
“Do you know her that well, Ethan?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral,
But Ethan reacted as if I had accused him of something. “Sarah, come on, don’t be like this, okay? I’m stressed out enough being here. You rarely visit, and I don’t want us to fight.“/
