A while later, he knocked, his voice softer.
“Sarah, open the door. Let’s talk. I’ll keep my
distance from Chloe, okay?”
I’d heard that promise dozens of times. And
every time, things between him and Chloe
escalated. His assurances were meaningless.
After a while, I still hadn’t opened the door.
Ethan found the spare key and let himself in. He
saw my suitcase and his face darkened. “What
are you doing? Running away?” He grabbed my
wrist. “Sarah, I know you’re upset, but I only lied
because I didn’t want you to make a scene. I
didn’t cheat.”
I was remarkably calm. “You’re overthinking it.
I’m not running away.”
“Then what is this?” He dumped out my
suitcase, his eyes landing on the actor’s
schedule. “A male actor? You’re going on
location with him? Just to spite me?” He sighed
<
and suddenly hugged me. “Come on, babe,
don’t be mad. You’re the only one for me. I
swear.”
I stayed silent. He took that as a sign I was
softening. He kissed my hair. “Don’t be angry.
When things calm down at work, I’ll take you to
see the Northern Lights.”
I had met Ethan when I was just starting out.
My client, a moderately successful actor, was
tricked into going to a private club by a
business tycoon. I went to get him out. The old
man, right in front of me, slipped something
into our drinks, leering as he offered them to
- us. Young and naive, I flew into a rage and
cracked the guy over the head with a bottle. A
group of burly men surrounded me. That’s when
Ethan, from the shadows, laughed. He stood up
and approached us. “Mr. Lewis, let’s not get
carried away. Give me a little face here, okay?”
His words not only persuaded the old man but
<
also captivated me. When he pursued me, he
said, “I love how fierce you are out in the world.
But with me, you just have to be my sweet girl.”
And I was. I really tried. Even when everyone
said he had a thing for his first love, I tried not
to be jealous. I gave him my trust. But all I got
in return, after Chloe came back into the
picture, were lies and deceit. I was tired. The
passionate love of my youth had become
unrecognizable.
It was late, and the rain was pouring outside.
Ethan’s phone rang, shattering the silence. He
pulled his arm out from under my pillow,
answering irritably, “Hello?”
A woman’s sobs echoed through the room.
“Ethan… there’s thunder. I’m scared…”
Ethan was instantly alert, scrambling out of bed
and getting dressed. “Don’t worry, I’m coming
over.”
<
He hung up, seemingly remembering I was
there. He looked at me guiltily. “Sarah, Chloe’s
always been afraid of thunderstorms.”
I looked at him calmly. “And?”
“Wait for me. I’ll be back soon.”
I was silent. A married man going to comfort
another woman in the middle of the night
during a thunderstorm? Didn’t he see how
absurd it was? It didn’t matter anymore.
I looked away. “Go.”
He finished getting dressed. He hesitated at the
door. “Sarah, aren’t you mad?”
“Would you stay if I was?”
Ethan paused. Lightning flashed outside,
illuminating the room. His phone lit up again,
Chloe’s sobs filling the air. “Ethan, help me, I’m
1
11
12:20
<
784
0080
Ethan’s face paled, and he turned to leave. At
the door, he said, “I promise I’ll be back as soon
as possible.”
I was alone in the huge room, my breathing loud
in the silence. At 2:30 a.m., I got up and
finished packing my bags. At 4:00 a.m., I took a
cab to the airport. The storm raged. The driver,
seeing me alone, rushed out to help with my
luggage, his voice full of concern. “Miss, why
are you by yourself? Didn’t your family come to
see you off?”
I glanced at my silent phone and locked the
screen. “Let’s go.”
When I arrived at the airport, the sky was
beginning to lighten. The cab driver, still
concerned, helped me with my suitcases.
“You’re a strong woman,” he remarked.
Inside the airport, I saw Alex, my young client.
Seeing my luggage, he rushed over to help, his
12:20
784
sunglasses slipping down his nose in surprise.
“Sarah! So much luggage! Didn’t your husband
come to see you off?”
I was busy checking in. “Can’t a woman travel
alone?” I replied, turning to face him.
Alex pushed his sunglasses back up, a subtle
“tsk” escaping his lips as he followed me.
The airport announcement echoed, “Attention
passengers, flight LA793 to Paris is now
boarding. Please have your boarding passes
ready…”
My phone rang. I glanced at the time: 7:40 a.m.
Five hours since Ethan left. I finished checking
my bags and answered the phone on the third.
ring.
Ethan’s voice was frantic. “Sarah, where are
you?! Why aren’t you answering your phone?!”
12:20
<
จ 78
I didn’t speak. The airport announcement
repeated. Ethan’s voice sharpened. “Where are
you? The airport? Sarah, you actually went?
With that male actor?!”
“Just the two of you? And you think calling it ‘business‘ makes it believable, Sarah?”
The wind whipped around me, chilling me to the bone. I suddenly felt a surge of amusement. “So you understand how this works, Ethan.”
I didn’t need to say anything more. He
understood. There was a silence on the other
end. He took a deep breath. “Chloe and I are
different. We’ve known each other since we
were kids. I think of her as a sister now.”
“Babe, be reasonable. Come home. Let
someone else handle the Paris trip. I’ll book your
a flight back.”
Afraid I wouldn’t agree, he added, “Remember
<
what we agreed on before we got married? No
funny business on work trips.”
I had said that, yes. But back then, Ethan,
successful and established, had always been
above reproach. He wouldn’t be caught dead
taking another woman on a romantic getaway,
let alone bringing a female companion to any
event, unless it was me.
