Love's Unforeseen Path
his office warm despite t
you want it. Remote, challenging. The k
the folder
or. I want it
n I felt. This was it. A
he said, his eyes kind. "Months
peated. More tha
vies leaned back. "He's usually quite involved in
rmed in m
dence," I managed, the lie tastin
my words. Relief washed over me, qu
as another way I was pulling away.
ice, the grant papers f
friend. The man who took me in when
home, education,
y built walls arou
esponsibility, a
he only man I'
The power imbalance, our hist
uest house, a well-cared-for f
every time he smiled at me wit
st about filmmaking.
naires' Charity Gala had been on
oking up from his tablet. "Good for you t
there too. His latest, very p
made my st
," I'd
la felt like a final hurdle. A last night in
ng gowns and tailored suits in
xchanged a few pleasantries
ssi on his arm. She was laughing, h
his usual sharp, focused self
t of conversation as
him wrapped aro
ter. The ultimate pri
d at her with an intens
but his eyes se
o me. She' d been talking to the bartender, then slipped so
od ran
at? Or was it the ch
I sa
sip, smi
aw me as a kid, a ward. Isabella w
to get
elf from Prof
mbled slightly. Isabella stea
alright?" I aske
wly. "Ava. You came. Good." Hi
ed at me. "He's just a
tired," I insisted
n said, but he leaned
should go h
young," Isabella trill
"Maybe... maybe Ava's ri
s were
was
nausea. What ha
n nursing for a week, suddenly felt like a lead weight in my stom
ht was ho
aming of a future with him, while an
r that week, to talk to him. To tell him about my fe
was too much, but to exp
able, so clearly manipulated, any th
get him away from Isa
" I said, my voice f
ile tightened.
s my responsibility if he's unwe
e to Isabella, conf
as tense. Ethan was mostly inc
he car, his arm heavy
and silent. His staff ha
rds his bedroom,
I loved, helple
, his warmth, it
and we both went down,
e close to mine, his breath
eld a flicker of something
his lips w
as a dam breaking. Years of suppress
itions, but the emotion, the ra
d. I kissed him back, a
lines blurred into a haze of touch and
ccident. My parents, his best
He was thirty, already
set up a trust, overseen my educ
va," he'd said. "
gratitude had morphed i
s empire, admired his
o came and went, n
rom afar, a silen
light streamed into E
ts, a dull throbbing in my he
l asleep, his
round the edges, but the core of it,
mber. He couldn'
nd a desperate, fragile hope. W
clothes discarded on the
e bathroom. My reflection was a mess
had I
ntending to dress and disappear
pretend it n
me wanted him to wake up, to se
y missed period. If I was pregnant.
ying mix of terror and
perfect rose on his nightstand – a l
cked it up, intending to... I don
nd tr
se from downstairs
eaped into
ht and quick,
e doorway, dressed impeccably
in Ethan' s robe, the rumpl
irk wi
dripping with false sweetness. "Lo
the room, uninvi
the floor, then her eyes
elicate silk scarf from her purse and
amond stud – from her ear and dropped it near
d turne
irred, g
is side. "Ethan, dar
ed, then landed on her. "Isa
night," she purred, stroking
his eyes found me, stan
obe, my dish
g – confusion? Disgus
va
ssion hardening. "Oh, Ava was just...
s trapped i
hen at the scarf, then his gaze
ouched his head. "I...
g his forehead. "We had a wonderful time. Yo
a look of
on. His memory was a bla
here was a clear dismissal in his eyes.
ld and absolute, washed over me. He
fl
se still clutched in my hand, i
was no longer an escap
I had to disappe
about a baby – his baby –
nt, I would be
know. He would
s leaving with this secret, this potential l
o preserve what littl
film. I would build a life so far from
vise around my chest. But beneath
k me. Isabella wo
ld su