Ch22 in volume 1
Part 23
Ethan scares Anna so much that she agrees to him (but only because of fear, not real love).
In front of Nick, Anna lies and says she loves Ethan, not Nick.
But the truth is, she lied out of fear that Ethan would hurt Nick.
Nick privately warns Ethan not to play dirty games if he truly loves her.
Ethan, however, genuinely loves Anna (he doesn't know she said yes only out of fear).
And Anna's birthday is coming in 4 days, when she turns 18.
No book/padhai-relatable baatein.
Tone: emotional, dramatic, suspenseful.
Here's Part 23 (around 950 words):
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Part 23 – The Lie in Her Eyes
The next few days passed with a heaviness Anna could not explain. Ethan's presence was everywhere—his texts, his calls, his sudden appearances at her locker, outside her classes, even near her home. It wasn't just attention anymore. It was like he was watching, guarding, making sure she never slipped away.
One evening, after practice, Ethan cornered her behind the empty auditorium. His smile was charming as always, but his eyes carried something sharp, unrelenting.
"Anna," he said softly, but his voice held no room for refusal. "I need to hear it from you. Do you love me?"
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like her ribs might break. She wanted to scream no. She wanted to tell him that his grip on her life was suffocating, that her heart already belonged elsewhere. But when she imagined his reaction—his anger, his threats, what he might do to Nick—her courage crumbled.
Ethan stepped closer, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "Say it," he whispered.
Her lips trembled. "I… I love you, Ethan."
The words burned her throat.
Ethan's face lit up, pure joy rushing across his features. He pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. "You don't know what this means to me, Anna. You're mine. Finally."
But all Anna could think was how wrong it felt, how her truth had been buried beneath fear.
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The next day, fate made things worse. Nick found her sitting by herself on the bleachers after school. His usual warm presence felt heavier this time, as though he already knew something was breaking between them.
"Anna," he said quietly, sitting beside her. "That night, you told me… you told me you loved me." His voice was steady, but his eyes searched hers desperately. "Was that real? Or was it just… a moment?"
Her chest tightened. She wanted so badly to confess, to run into his arms, to say the truth that she had never stopped loving him. But then she remembered Ethan's words, his cold smile, the way he had hinted what he could do if anyone came between them.
If she told Nick now, Ethan would destroy him. She couldn't let that happen.
So she lied.
"I… I wasn't honest," Anna whispered, forcing herself to look away. "I don't love you, Nick. I love Ethan. I'm with him now."
The silence that followed was unbearable. Nick's face went pale, his jaw tightening as if her words had sliced into him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Finally, he stood, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His voice was low, strained with hurt. "If that's what you've chosen… I'll respect it." He turned, ready to walk away.
But before he left, he sought out Ethan later that evening. They stood alone in the locker room, the echo of dripping water filling the silence.
Nick's tone was calm but deadly serious. "If she loves you, Ethan, then don't you dare break her. Don't play your dirty games with her heart. She doesn't deserve that."
For a moment, Ethan stared at him, caught between pride and confusion. His jaw tightened, but his eyes softened slightly. "You think I'm playing? You think this is a game to me? I love her, Carter. More than you ever could."
Nick shook his head, his voice heavy with disappointment. "Love isn't about possession. It's about letting someone breathe. Remember that—because right now, she looks more trapped than loved."
And with that, he left Ethan standing alone, his words echoing in the empty room.
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That night, Anna lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, tears sliding silently down her cheeks. Her phone buzzed with messages from Ethan: I can't wait for your birthday. Four more days until you're mine, truly mine.
She swallowed hard, her chest aching. In just four days, she would turn eighteen. A birthday that should have been filled with joy, laughter, freedom… instead felt like a countdown to chains she couldn't escape.
Yet, deep inside, Anna knew something Ethan didn't—she hadn't chosen him. Her heart had chosen Nick long ago.
But for Nick's safety… she had buried that truth beneath a lie.
A lie that was slowly breaking her from the inside out.
---next part soon