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Beneath the Skyline

Chapter 9 Shadows of the Past

Word Count: 1908    |    Released on: 14/12/2024

uld seem to hold its breath for her to really take in that furtive glance and word exchange

screen that unsettled him. The subject line read: "A Blast from Your Past." Attached was a photograph of h

ra know a

romance had ended years before he ever met Clara, but the breakup had been messy, splashed

cked lightly on the door. "Sir, you have a meeting with M

a couple. Clara had been nervous about stepping into his world, but he'd promised her he'd protect her.

mly at Ethan's assistant, who showed her in to his private meeting room. There, insi

gs down on the table. "What is going o

out some other way. Yet his motives weren't as pure as his action-thou shalt not h

s arm. "Ethan, I can tell something's bothering you. You

uscles, he pulled her into an embrace

to his side. "I'll take that

finish. Ava Parker rolled across the screen. Clara'

nd grabbed the phone, silencing it. "She's

arms crossing. "And she'

Ava and I dated years ago. She's been out of my life f

ed, her voice ti

romise, Clara, whatever this is, it's in

f doubt had been planted. "Okay," she sai

ng the fabric of the elegant emerald gown Ethan had insisted on getting her. She felt out of plac

his breath hitched.

offered arm. "You don't

the moment as heads turned to take them in. Ethan kept Clara close, his hand

erting the conversations so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. However, the more the night wore on, th

ed, but she woul

s Ava made her grand entrance. She was every inch the vision Clara wasn't-tall, po

she approached him. "Ethan B

fingers tightening on his g

ith a tone dripping with feigned innocence. "Though I coul

ing, it's not going to work," E

, her eyes gleaming. "Lovely girl. I wo

urned, her expression guarded as she

g at the tension in Clara's vo

extending a hand. "It's nice to meet y

ers, her eyes switching between

her eyes. "Oh, I'm sure Ethan will fill y

han reached for Clara's hand ag

r voice shaking. "I thought we w

the time she walks away, Ethan realizes that

r it took, he would prove to Clara that their love was worth fight

va, Ethan's so-called "old friend"-had stirred something unsettling within her. Clara had been willin

ity lay spread out before her, its lights twinkling like stars. Ordinarily

stepped out onto the balcony, his face a mixture of

is world of yours is full of surprises I'm not prepared for? Or that you

n't tell you about Ava because she doesn't matter to me anymore. What we had-it was long o

n. But believe your words to me, well, it has nothing to do with that eith

reach her hands. "It's right there. You need to know ab

face. For all his wealth and power, Ethan stood before

a fraction. "I don't care about your past, Ethan.

ust in my future-you are my future, Clara. I've

ey stood there in silence for a moment, feeling the weight of their emotion

th me,"

cocking her h

nfidence coming b

sounds faded into the distance as they followed a trail lined with softly glowing lan

elp," he admitted. "Bu

tting: a blanket spread out under an old oak, filled with fairy lights. A bottle of win

g in her throat as she loo

rst time we really talked. The café, your sketchpad, the way you laughed at my coffee spill. This is whe

rt swelling. "You always know how

e. His thumb brushed her cheek, and he leaned in, his lips

his hand trailing to the small of her back as if anchoring her to him. Clara's fing

hed breathlessly, her forehead resting aga

had a lot of pra

a sketched the scene around them, and Ethan tried his hand at drawing her, resulting in a hila

he teased, wiping aw

g as he pulled her close. "And I don't care if I can

moment, she realized that no matter what challenges came their

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1 Chapter 1 Beneath the Skyline 2 Chapter 2 Shadows of the Past. 3 Chapter 3 Finding the Balance 4 Chapter 4 Crossroads 5 Chapter 5 Fading Shadows 6 Chapter 6 The Rules7 Chapter 7 Unwritten Rules 8 Chapter 8 The Art of Falling 9 Chapter 9 Shadows of the Past 10 Chapter 10 Unfinished Business 11 Chapter 11 Through Shadows to Light12 Chapter 12 The Weight of the Past13 Chapter 13 The Storm Before the Calm14 Chapter 14 Whispers in the Dark15 Chapter 15 The proposal16 Chapter 16 Shadows of the Past, Light of the Present17 Chapter 17 A Love Written in the Stars18 Chapter 18 A Love Beyond Boundaries19 Chapter 19 The Depths of Love20 Chapter 20 The Depths of Forever21 Chapter 21 The Weight of the World22 Chapter 22 The Light in the Dark23 Chapter 23 The Green-Eyed Monster24 Chapter 24 A Twist of Fate25 Chapter 25 The Unraveling and the Healing26 Chapter 26 The Breaking Point27 Chapter 27 The Crossroads28 Chapter 28 A Leap of Faith29 Chapter 29 The Weight of Love and Choices30 Chapter 30 A Leap of Faith31 Chapter 31 An Unlikely Reunion32 Chapter 32 Love, Laughter, and Unexpected Turns33 Chapter 33 A Twist of Fate34 Chapter 34 Romance35 Chapter 35 A Tapestry of Emotions36 Chapter 36 A Night to Remember37 Chapter 37 Secrets and Shared Dreams38 Chapter 38 Roots of Resilience39 Chapter 39 A Canvass of Possibilities40 Chapter 40 The Shifting Tides 41 Chapter 41 The Path Unfolds 42 Chapter 42 A New Horizon 43 Chapter 43 Crossroads of the Heart 44 Chapter 44 Reckoning with the Past 45 Chapter 45 Again 46 Chapter 46 The Path Forward 47 Chapter 47 Uncharted Waters 48 Chapter 48 New Beginnings 49 Chapter 49 The Heart's Compass 50 Chapter 50 Forever and Beyond 51 Chapter 51 Whispers Beneath the Stars52 Chapter 52 Shadows of Tomorrow53 Chapter 53 A Love Unraveled54 Chapter 54 Under the Veil of the Stars55 Chapter 55 Between Us56 Chapter 56 Shifting Atmosphere57 Chapter 57 Threads58 Chapter 58 The Beat of Heart59 Chapter 59 Secrets60 Chapter 60 Tanya's Word's61 Chapter 61 The Price of Loyalty62 Chapter 62 Tears Falling63 Chapter 63 The Silence64 Chapter 64 The Unraveling65 Chapter 65 The Last Stand66 Chapter 66 Heartbeat67 Chapter 67 Morning Rush68 Chapter 68 A Step Beyond 69 Chapter 69 Promises of Tomorrow 70 Chapter 70 An Unspoken Future 71 Chapter 71 A Future Interrupted 72 Chapter 72 Tangled Threads 73 Chapter 73 Revelations in the Silence 74 Chapter 74 Shattered Truths 75 Chapter 75 Final Word's76 Chapter 76 Suffocating Silence77 Chapter 77 Truths and Unspoken Words 78 Chapter 78 The Weight of Truth 79 Chapter 79 The Path80 Chapter 80 Realization81 Chapter 81 Crossroads of the Past 82 Chapter 82 Torn Between the Past and the Future 83 Chapter 83 The Tension84 Chapter 84 The Ties That Bind 85 Chapter 85 Unspoken Bonds 86 Chapter 86 Fragments of the Past 87 Chapter 87 Unspoken Truths 88 Chapter 88 Shattered Trust 89 Chapter 89 Unspoken Words 90 Chapter 90 The Unraveling 91 Chapter 91 The Space Between Us92 Chapter 92 The Massage93 Chapter 93 The Presence94 Chapter 94 Edges of Her Mind95 Chapter 95 Thousands Words96 Chapter 96 Eclipsed Hearts 97 Chapter 97 Quite98 Chapter 98 Sun's Runes99 Chapter 99 The Promise100 Chapter 100 The End of Forever