Bella's POV
Bella's heart was pounding as she stood there, facing Ethan. The tension in the room was suffocating, a thick cloud of confusion, fear, and anger swirling between them. The drawings on the floor—the ones Aiden and Aria had made for their father, not knowing who he was—felt like a cruel reminder of everything that was at stake.
Ethan's eyes were full of regret, guilt, and something else—something darker that Bella couldn't fully decipher. But there was no time for confusion. She needed answers.
"What did you do, Ethan?" she asked again, her voice sharp, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists. She couldn't keep the edge out of her tone. "What kind of danger are you bringing into our lives?"
Ethan took a step toward her, but Bella held her ground. His presence still had that pull, that magnetic force that made her heart ache, but she wouldn't let it distract her. Not now. Not when everything was unraveling before her eyes.
"I didn't bring anything into your life," Ethan said quietly, his voice hoarse. "But I'm about to take it all away."
Bella felt her breath catch in her throat. She had expected him to try to defend himself, to offer a reason, but this was different. The rawness in his tone hit her harder than she anticipated.
"What do you mean, take it all away?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, suddenly unsure whether she was prepared for whatever came next.
Ethan's gaze softened, and he reached out toward her, but she pulled back instinctively, her pulse quickening.
"Vince Reyes is threatening me. He's threatening you. And more than that—he's threatening your children," he said, his voice hardening with a cold edge that sent chills down her spine. "I should have told you everything, Bella. I should have been honest from the start. But I didn't know how to tell you that the man who hurt you is now playing a much bigger game. And you and the twins are in the middle of it."
Bella's stomach twisted, her chest constricting with the weight of his words. Vince was dangerous, she knew that. But now, hearing Ethan's words, it felt like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. Her mind raced, trying to process everything, to make sense of the twisted mess they were all tangled in.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she whispered, the betrayal stinging deep. "Why keep this from me?"
Ethan lowered his head, guilt written all over his face. "I thought I could protect you. I thought I could fix it without you knowing. I was wrong. I was selfish, Bella."
Bella shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek, though she quickly wiped it away, unwilling to show any more vulnerability than she already had.
"Do you think that I would have just stood by and let Vince hurt you?" she asked, her voice shaking with anger now. "Do you think I would have let him threaten me and the kids without stepping up? Without fighting back?"
"I know you would have," Ethan said softly, stepping closer to her, his hand hesitating in the air as if unsure whether to touch her. "I know you would have fought for us. And I would have too. I just… didn't want to drag you into this mess. I didn't want you to have to carry that weight."
Bella let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "You think you can protect me by shutting me out? By keeping secrets? I don't need you to protect me, Ethan. I need you to trust me. And that means being honest with me."
For a moment, they just stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. Ethan's eyes searched hers, desperate for understanding, but Bella wasn't sure she could give him that. Not yet. Not when everything felt like it was collapsing around them.
"Do you really think we can get through this, Bella?" Ethan asked quietly, his voice vulnerable now. "Do you think you can still trust me? Even after everything?"
Bella's heart twisted at the rawness in his words, the pain she could see in his eyes. It wasn't just about Vince anymore—it was about everything that had happened between them. The years they'd spent apart. The mistakes. The pain.
"I want to believe that we can," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "But it's not just about us anymore, Ethan. It's about the twins. It's about their safety, and mine. I don't know if I can risk everything again. Not when I have them to protect."
"I'll protect you, Bella. I swear it," Ethan said, his voice low, filled with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep you and the twins safe. Whatever it takes to make things right between us."
Bella swallowed hard, her chest tightening at his words. Her heart was torn, pulling in two different directions. She wanted to believe him, wanted to give in to the love they once shared, but she couldn't ignore the reality that Vince was out there, pulling the strings, manipulating everyone for his own gain.
"I don't know if I can trust you again, Ethan," she admitted softly, her voice breaking. "Not fully. Not when the past still hangs over us. Not when Vince is still out there."
"I know," he whispered, his face hardening with resolve. "But I'm not asking you to forget the past. I'm asking you to trust me now. To let me prove that I'm not the same man who walked away from you before."
Bella closed her eyes for a moment, the weight of his words pressing against her chest like a vice. She wanted to believe in him. She wanted to believe that they could rebuild what they once had, that love could conquer the fear, the betrayal, the secrets. But every part of her screamed to be cautious. To protect herself. To protect her children.
"I'll need time, Ethan," she whispered, opening her eyes to meet his. "I'll need time to think. To figure out how we can move forward with everything that's happened. But I'm not giving up on us. Not yet."
Ethan nodded, his expression a mix of hope and desperation. "Take all the time you need. But know this—I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here. For you. For the twins."
Bella took a deep breath, her heart still torn, but somehow lighter with the promise in his words. She didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope.
---
The night was quiet as Bella sat by the window, watching the city lights twinkle in the distance. She wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but for the first time in years, she felt a flicker of peace.
Ethan had given her the space she needed, but in the back of her mind, she knew that whatever came next, they would face it together.
And maybe—just maybe—they could rebuild what they had lost.