Living in Her Shadow

p with Ethan hidden from my family, dismissing th

and-in, a convenient replacement for Chloe Davis, Ethan's h

tly manipulating him while openly belittling me, culminating in a deliberate

ed with Chloe, dismissed my pain to the nurse as "melodrama," a

deleted him from my life, packed my bags, and, with a one-way ticket, walked away from six

pte

ce on her phone screen. Leo looked

? You'll come home this we

g a strand of dark

. I said

opeful hints that stretched for months. Julian Vance, t

is voice. "Mom and Dad will be thrilled. It's

ab. Her six-year relationship, a secret from her family

ng, Ava, it's going nowher

p reply. Leo didn't

the welcome home dinner, maybe you can bring your... frien

A pre-celebration for w

it," Ava said,

then launched into

ing vague sounds of agreement unt

door opened and Ethan Miller walked

he tail end

he asked, dropping his

thought was bitter, a desperate, s

or of warm whiskey, searching hers. He was

s?" he asked, his voice s

head. "You kno

at. Leo was his college best friend.

ying on his lips, but his eyes were serious.

iness of the past few weeks, the p

voice quiet, "what are w

, in different ways, at different ti

ds finding her waist, his charm

s near her ear. "Haven't we been together for s

practiced kiss that used t

st made he

ble arrangement. That much h

o's pressure, the reason she was actually goi

f stale beer, his bassist, drunk and loose-lipped, had slurred, "Ethan, man, you only

ette with a decidedly bohemian style, ha

The one who'd shattered his heart by moving t

her life, might have been built on h

at drew her to him, was, according to the same drunken bandmate, f

ice, and in that moment, something insi

parents anymore. It was about her. It was about findin