I followed Mr. Carter toward the far end of the pool, the chatter behind us fading with each step. I could feel their eyes burning into my back, but I kept walking. As I approached, he turned around and offered his hand. I accepted it, allowing him to help me to a chair across from his. His touch was warm, steady, and too comfortable for my fragile composure.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan glance our way. His stare sliced through me. Sharp, unfamiliar, and cold. For a moment, I wondered if he even recognized me anymore. That face... those eyes... the man I once married wasn't in there. Jessica, sitting across from him, visibly recoiled, her expression contorting as if she had swallowed something bitter. Maybe she had.
Mr. Carter and I settled into the chairs by the pool's edge. The water sparkled under the morning sun, but nothing about this moment felt light. He leaned toward me, his brows slightly knit. "How is everything?" he asked gently.
I swallowed hard. "Complicated."
"I don't mean to pry," he continued, his voice low and calm the kind that made you want to confess even your darkest secrets. "But if you're going to work for me, you'll need to sort things out with Ethan. He's an important part of the team, and I don't want workplace tension."
My heart skipped a beat. "Work for you? Are you offering me a job?" I asked, trying to hide the tremor in my voice.
He nodded, his lips pulling into a small smile. "It's nothing fancy. I don't have a glamorous position available right now, but I could use a personal assistant. You'll need to talk to HR, but I'd be happy to start the process."
My chest warmed. After everything, the chance to start again even if it was just as a PA, felt like the beginning of something new. Something that was mine. "That would mean the world to me," I said softly.
He hesitated, then added, "But please... try to fix things with Ethan. I don't want unnecessary drama at the office."
I tilted my head, a soft smile playing on my lips. "I'll do my best on my part. But for him? That's on him."
There was a shift in the air. Mr. Carter's eyes locked onto mine. For a moment, it was as if time folded in on itself. My mind flickered back to last night's dream, the way he looked at me, touched me, and made me feel seen again. My cheeks flushed. I bit my lip and looked away, feeling like a schoolgirl caught in something far more dangerous than she could understand.
"If it's alright with you," I started, clearing my throat, "I was wondering if I could stay at the cabin a bit longer. Just for a week. To clear my head."
He nodded. "Stay as long as you need. The place is paid for. Besides, I think the quiet might help."
I wanted to hug him. Thank him. Bury my face in his chest and let someone else carry the weight for once. But I didn't. I couldn't. Not yet. I stood, brushing invisible lint off my skirt, preparing to return to my lounger.
That's when I felt it.
A shadow. Tall. Broad. Silent.
The sun vanished behind a figure, and I didn't need to look up to know who it was.
Ethan.
He stood like a volcano, ready to erupt, arms stiff by his side, eyes narrowed, face contorted with something between disbelief and rage. His jaw clenched so tightly that I could almost hear the crack.
Mr. Carter shifted in his seat but said nothing. The tension around us thickened. No one moved. Not a single soul at the pool dared to breathe too loudly.
I turned slowly, my heartbeat hammering in my chest. Our eyes locked. The man who once swore to love me in sickness and in health now stared at me like I was a stranger. No, worse like I was a threat.
I didn't say a word. Neither did he. But everything that needed to be said hung heavy in the space between us.
Would he cause a scene? Would he storm off? Would he pull me away, like he used to when he wanted to silence me in private?
He opened his mouth.
And then, silence.