Chapter 5
“Amara,” Ethan said, his voice calm but laced with suspicion as he darted his eyes back to her. “How did you know about the landlord?”
Amara crossed her arms, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination. “I ran into him on my way up here,” she replied simply.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Convenient, isn’t it? You just happened to meet him?”
Her jaw tightened. “Are you accusing me of lying?”
“I don’t know, Amara,” he said coldly, stepping back. “But I do know Celeste has never lied to me.”
Amara blinked, stunned by the weight of his words. She took a step closer, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and pain. “Never lied? Ethan, are you even listening to yourself? I just gave you proof, and yet you still—”
“Just go, Amara.” Ethan’s voice rose slightly as he gestured toward the door. “You’re making a scene, and it’s embarrassing.”
Amara’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to stand tall. “No,” she said firmly.
Ethan’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”
“I’m not leaving,” Amara replied, her voice steady now. “Not this time. Not when I know exactly what she’s doing.”
Celeste, who had been standing quietly in the background with a faux-innocent expression, finally stepped forward, her voice soft and apologetic. “I’m sorry, Amara. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. I just needed to talk to Ethan about… business.”
Amara’s eyes snapped to her, brimming with distrust. “Business? Since when do you handle business with my husband?”
Celeste hesitated for a split second, but her fake smile never wavered. “I thought it would be better to approach Ethan directly. I didn’t want to bother you.”
Amara opened her mouth to retort but froze when she heard Celeste say something that sent chills down her spine.
“I was just about to tell Ethan about the statue,” Celeste said casually, glancing at him. “You know, the one you planned on auctioning.”
Amara turned sharply, her heart sinking. “What did you just say?”
Celeste blinked innocently. “The statue,” she repeated. “You know, the one your father gave you. Ethan and I were discussing its value.”
Amara’s blood boiled. “That statue is not for sale,” she said, her voice shaking with anger. “It was a wedding gift from my father. It’s priceless.”
“Amara, calm down,” Ethan said, his tone dismissive. “It’s just a statue.”
Her head snapped toward him, her disbelief palpable. “Just a statue? Ethan, it’s the only thing I have left from my father! And you’re planning to sell it without even talking to me?”
Celeste smirked, but quickly masked it with a look of feigned concern. “Oh, Amara, I didn’t realize it was so sentimental. I’m sorry.”
Amara’s fists clenched at her sides. “Don’t play coy with me, Celeste. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“That’s enough!” Ethan’s voice cut through the tension, and both women turned to him. “Amara, you’re being unreasonable. We’re selling the statue, and that’s final.”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am,” he said firmly. “And I won’t have you ruining this discussion. Leave.”
Amara’s heart shattered at his words, but she refused to back down. “I’m not going anywhere, Ethan. This isn’t just about the statue. It’s about her,” she said, pointing at Celeste. “You’re letting her manipulate you, just like she did before.”
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. “Before? What are you even talking about?”
She hesitated, knowing he wouldn’t understand. He doesn’t remember, but I do. I remember everything from our last life.
“Nothing,” she said finally, her voice dropping. “But I won’t stand by and let you sell something so important to me.”
“Amara,” Ethan said warningly, his tone low.
“No,” she snapped, her anger flaring again. “If you can’t see what she’s doing, then maybe you deserve to lose everything!”
Ethan’s face darkened. “Enough!” he bellowed. “You’re acting like a child. Go home, Amara.”
Her chest rose and fell as she struggled to contain her tears, realizing that the same thing from the previous life was about to happen again.
Celeste placed a hand on Ethan’s arm, her voice syrupy sweet. “Ethan, don’t be too hard on her. She’s just upset.”
“Don’t touch him,” Amara snapped, her voice cutting like a blade.
Celeste feigned shock. “I was only trying to help.”
“You’ve helped enough,” Amara hissed, her glare searing. “Ethan, if you let her into our home, you’ll regret it.”
Ethan’s expression was unreadable as he looked between the two women. “I’ve made my decision,” he said finally, his voice cold. “And you need to respect it. We are selling the statue, it will help…”
But Amara was already walking to the door, her head high despite the tears threatening to spill.
