Violet exhaled sharply, her eyes burning into Ethan's as the tension between them thickened. He didn't move, didn't try to close the space between them. He simply watched her, waiting, as if giving her the choice to either lash out or walk away.
But she didn't walk away.
"I waited for you to wake up," she finally admitted, her voice quieter now, almost hesitant. "But then I realized there was no point in staying. Not when... " She stopped herself, jaw tightening. "Not when nothing I do will change what happened."
"And you think walking away does?" Ethan's gaze darkened.
"It does for me."
A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he didn't argue. Instead, he took a slow breath and leaned against the railing, his fingers tightening around the metal. "You think I wanted this?"
"Didn't you?" Violet's laugh was bitter.
"No, Violet. I didn't," his grip on the railing tightened, his knuckles going white.
"You left, Ethan. You made that choice. Not me," she scoffed.
Silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.
Then Ethan took a step closer, and Violet felt her resolve waver. "You don't know everything," he said, his voice low. "You think you do, but you don't."
"Then tell me. Tell me what I don't know," she clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms.
He hesitated. That was all the answer she needed.
"That's what I thought," Violet exhaled a shaky breath, shaking her head.
She turned to leave, but before she could take a step, his voice stopped her.
"I never stopped thinking about you."
Violet's breath hitched. She willed herself not to react, not to let him see how much those words affected her.
But Ethan knew her too well. He always had.
"You can hate me all you want, but don't pretend I didn't mean anything to you," he continued, his voice rough, almost desperate.
"You meant everything to me, Ethan! And that's the problem," she spun around, her eyes flashing.
His expression faltered for a split second, but then he straightened, masking whatever emotion had flickered through his eyes. "Then tell me what you want now."
Violet opened her mouth, then closed it. She didn't know the answer to that. And that terrified her more than anything.
Ethan watched her struggle, and for once, he didn't push. He simply nodded, as if he understood. "I'll be around," he said quietly. "When you figure it out."
She hated that he said it like he was giving her time. Like he still had any right to be a part of her life.
But she hated even more that a part of her wanted to take that time.
Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Ethan standing there in the cold night, watching her disappear into the city that had once been theirs.
The next morning, Violet woke up feeling drained. Sleep had barely touched her, her mind replaying every word, every glance from the night before. No matter how much she told herself she didn't care, the moment she saw Ethan, all her carefully built walls cracked.
She went about her day as usual... or at least tried to. At the gallery, she barely focused on anything. Jade noticed. He always did.
"So, are we talking about it, or are we pretending you're not losing your mind?" Jade asked, leaning against the doorway of her office.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Violet didn't look up.
"Vi, you met Ethan twice now, and you've been zoning out ever since. It's obvious," Jade let out a dramatic sigh.
"What do you want me to say, Jade?" she finally looked at him.
"The truth, maybe?" He stepped closer, voice softer. "You still love him, don't you?"
"That's not even the point. It's been years. I moved on," Violet's breath hitched, but she forced a laugh.
Jade gave her a look that screamed, 'Really?' but didn't push further. "Fine. Keep lying to yourself."
Before Violet could respond, the front desk called her name. A delivery had arrived.
Curious, she walked out and found a bouquet of white lilies, her favorite. Her heart pounded. There was a note.
You once told me lilies mean a fresh start.
No name. But she didn't need one.
"Well, damn," Jade read over her shoulder.
"He thinks flowers are enough?" Violet gritted her teeth, her hands tightening around the card.
"What are you going to do?" Jade asked.
Violet exhaled slowly, her mind already racing. She wasn't sure. But one thing was clear... Ethan wasn't going to disappear easily this time.
Violet had done everything in her power to avoid him. She buried herself in work, took different routes, even switched up her usual coffee shop... anything to keep from running into Ethan Sinclair again. But it seemed like fate, or perhaps Ethan himself, had other plans.
Because there he was. Again.
Leaning against the entrance of her art gallery, arms crossed, that maddeningly unreadable expression on his face. The moment she stepped outside, her heart did an involuntary flip... because she knew that look. The same way he had looked at her years ago, before he ruined everything.
"Oh, come on, love. You're not seriously going to keep running, are you?" His voice was casual, teasing, but there was an undercurrent beneath it... one that made her pulse quicken.
"I am not running. I have places to be, people to meet. Important things to do that do not include... " Violet huffed, gripping her bag tighter.
"Me?" Ethan tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with amusement.
She opened her mouth to snap back, but words failed her. The problem was, Ethan knew exactly how to get under her skin. He always had. And now, after all these years, he seemed to be enjoying it way too much.
"You're doing that thing again," he said after a moment.
"What thing?" Violet frowned.
"Talking too fast, trying to look anywhere but at me," he pointed out, stepping closer. "It's adorable, really."
Adorable.
Violet clenched her jaw, willing herself not to react, but she could feel the heat creeping up her neck.
This wasn't fair. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
She had spent years building walls, creating a life where Ethan Sinclair didn't exist. And now, here he was, slipping through the cracks as if he had never left at all.
"Look, I don't have time for whatever game you're playing," she muttered, moving to sidestep him.
But Ethan wasn't done. He easily fell into step beside her as she walked down the street. "It's not a game, Violet. I meant what I said. I'm not going anywhere."
"Oh, so now you decide to stay? After disappearing without a word? After breaking me?" she let out a dry laugh, shaking her head.
Ethan's expression shifted. For a second, something flickered in his eyes... guilt, regret. "You're still angry. That's good. That means you still care," he smirked.
"I don't care!" she shot back, but the way her voice wavered betrayed her.
"Right. And that's why you can't even look me in the eye," he chuckled, the sound low and knowing.
Violet groaned in frustration, her fingers twitching at her side. This was exactly why she needed to stay away from him. Ethan had a way of twisting words, of pulling her into his orbit before she even realized it was happening. And now, it was happening all over again.
She had to leave. Now.
"Goodbye, Ethan," she muttered, turning sharply on her heel and walking away.
"See you soon, love," he called after her, his voice laced with amusement. "Because we both know you're going to run into me again."
Violet clenched her fists, her steps quickening as she disappeared down the street.
Because, deep down, she knew he was right.