Part 31 – The Confrontation
The party thinned out slowly, but the whispers didn't. Anna could feel eyes on her as she rushed down the hallway, tears blurring her vision. She wanted to disappear, to crawl into a world where Ethan's kiss and her reckless revenge kiss never happened.
But she knew Ethan wouldn't just let it go.
And she was right.
Before she could reach the stairwell, a hand grabbed her arm, spinning her back. Ethan stood there, eyes blazing, jaw tight. He looked furious—but underneath that fury, something else burned. Fear.
"Anna," he hissed, his voice low and trembling with rage, "what the hell was that?"
"Let me go, Ethan." She yanked her wrist, but his grip only tightened.
He slammed his other hand against the wall beside her, trapping her. His voice dropped even lower, almost a growl. "You kissed some random guy—in front of everyone. In front of me. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"
Anna's tears spilled over, but she met his stare. "Do you have any idea what it did to me when you kissed her back? When you didn't even push her away?"
Ethan froze. For the first time tonight, his anger faltered.
"I didn't mean to—" he started.
"But you did," Anna cut in, her voice breaking. "And you think saying you didn't mean it makes it better? You let her touch you. You let her kiss you. And I stood there like a fool."
His chest heaved. "Anna… I was angry too. I wanted to make you jealous, I wanted you to see you're mine—"
Her laugh was sharp and bitter. "Yours? Is that what this is about? Ownership? Not love—control."
The word struck him like a blade. He flinched, shaking his head. "No, that's not it. You don't get it, Anna. You drive me crazy. I can't stand the thought of you with anyone else. When you kissed him—" He broke off, his voice cracking. "It felt like my whole world collapsed."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. His hand trembled against the wall, his grip on her wrist loosening just slightly.
Anna swallowed hard, her voice softer now. "And that's exactly how I felt watching you."
The words sank in. Ethan's anger flickered, replaced with guilt. But his pride wouldn't let him back down. He leaned closer, his forehead almost brushing hers. "Don't ever do that again. Don't you dare kiss someone else to hurt me."
Anna's chest tightened. Part of her wanted to scream back, to push him away and never look at him again. Another part—one she didn't want to admit—ached at how broken he sounded, how much he seemed to truly need her.
"Then don't hurt me first," she whispered.
Ethan stared at her, torn apart between fury, guilt, and love he didn't know how to express without destroying everything. Slowly, he let her wrist go, his hand falling to his side.
"You're mine, Anna," he said finally, voice low but desperate. "And I'll do anything—anything—to keep you. Even if it means fighting the whole damn world."
Anna didn't answer. Her tears had dried, but her heart was heavier than ever. Because deep down, she knew he meant it. And that scared her more than anything.