Ethan was discharged from the hospital two days later, his arm still in a sling but his spirit lighter. Lila refused to let him go home alone, insisting he stay at the hotel until he fully recovered. He protested at first, but her stubborn care left him with no choice — and truthfully, he didn't want to be anywhere else.
The days that followed were unexpectedly tender. They shared meals, late-night talks, quiet laughter. For the first time since their breakup, it felt like peace — not the empty kind, but the kind that came from healing together.
Lila found herself falling again — not for the man she used to love, but for the one standing before her now: humbler, softer, still flawed but real.
One morning, as she returned from buying coffee, she saw a woman standing at Ethan's door. Tall, elegant, with sharp features and an expensive coat — she radiated authority.
When Lila approached, the woman turned and smiled thinly.
"You must be Lila," she said. "I've heard so much about you."
Lila frowned. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"I'm Vivian. Ethan's business partner." Her tone carried a subtle possessiveness that made Lila's stomach tighten.
Ethan appeared behind her, visibly uncomfortable. "Vivian, what are you doing here?"
"I came to discuss the New York contract. You haven't been answering your calls."
"I told you I needed a few days," he said flatly.
Vivian's gaze flicked toward Lila. "Of course. I just didn't realize you'd found… company."
Lila felt the sting in those words. She forced a polite smile and said, "I'll give you two some privacy." But Ethan stopped her.
"No," he said firmly. "Lila stays."
Vivian's eyes narrowed. "You're really going through with this then — risking your company's reputation for her?"
"This isn't about reputation," he replied. "It's about what matters."
The tension in the air was sharp enough to cut through. Vivian sighed dramatically. "You're making a mistake, Ethan. Emotions and business don't mix — they never have." Then she turned to Lila. "You should think about whether you're ready for a man whose life is built on storms."
With that, she left, her heels clicking down the corridor like punctuation marks to an unfinished sentence.
When the door closed, Lila looked at Ethan. "Who is she, really?"
"She helped me rebuild after the scandal," he admitted. "She's been a loyal partner — but she also wanted more than that. I never encouraged it."
Lila studied him for a long moment. "And do you still think the past won't follow you?"
Ethan met her gaze steadily. "Maybe it will. But this time, I'm not running. Not from the past — and not from you."
Something in his voice made her believe him.
Later that night, as they watched the Verona skyline from the balcony, Lila slipped her hand into his — not out of obligation, but choice.
Whatever storms awaited them, they would face them together.
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