Chapter 20

Emily's POV

As soon as Ethan walked away, Emily felt her heart finally settle. The tension of the moment was still lingering, but at least it was over—for now. She took a deep breath and scanned the room, looking for a place where she could escape the crowd for a moment. The noise of the party felt overwhelming, and she needed a break.

She found a quiet corner, not too crowded, and sat down on one of the couches. A wave of relief washed over her. That could have gone so much worse, she thought, exhaling slowly. She was still rattled by the way Ethan had looked at her earlier—like he was seeing her in a new light. And that moment where he had called her "beautiful"... it made her heart race just thinking about it.

But now, sitting alone in this corner, she felt safe again. She had explained herself to Ethan, and even though he hadn't been thrilled, he hadn't exploded in anger like she feared. Instead, he had been... caring. Protective, as always, but there was something gentler in the way he had treated her tonight.

Emily let her mind wander for a moment, thinking back to the way his hand had felt when it held hers, the brief pressure before he realized he was squeezing too hard. The way he had immediately tried to comfort her after, brushing his thumb softly over her skin, sent a flutter of warmth through her. He cares, she realized, smiling softly to herself.

For now, though, all she wanted was a moment to breathe before the night continued. She had gotten through the hardest part, and now all that was left was to follow Ethan home. She could manage that.

As Ethan and Emily shared a moment of understanding, the atmosphere of the breakfast was light and warm, a stark contrast to the brewing storm among the other attendees of the previous night's party. Among the crowd was Claudia, a woman who had harbored unrequited feelings for Ethan for years. Her affection had grown into a quiet obsession, as she had watched from afar, hoping for a glance, a nod, anything to indicate that her feelings were returned. To her dismay, Ethan had remained distant, his interactions with women strictly formal and indifferent.

That night, as she observed Ethan's tender interaction with Emily, Claudia's feelings morphed into a fiery blend of jealousy and curiosity. The sight of Ethan, usually so guarded and aloof, smiling warmly at this stranger, gnawed at her. Who is she? Claudia wondered, her mind racing with speculations. And what does she have that I don't?

Unable to contain her emotions, Claudia decided to confront Emily. Claudia followed Emily, her heels clicking ominously on the tile floor, her posture rigid with determination.

Emily, still feeling the residual warmth from her interaction with Ethan, was startled by the cold energy that entered the room. She turned to see Claudia, her expression one of polite confusion.

"Can I help you?" Emily asked, her voice gentle, unaware of Claudia's connection to Ethan or her turbulent emotions.

Claudia's eyes narrowed, her voice barely concealing her bitterness. "You seem quite comfortable here, considering no one knows who you are. Ethan never mentions you, and yet here you are at the party with him. Who are you?"

Taken aback by the accusation in Claudia's tone, Emily tried to maintain her composure. "I'm just someone Ethan decided to help. There's nothing more to it," she explained, her voice steady despite the growing knot of anxiety in her stomach.

Claudia scoffed, her jealousy peaking. "Ethan doesn't just 'help' people, especially not young women he just met. There must be something special about you. Or are you just another opportunist?"

Emily felt a pang of hurt at the harsh words, but she held Claudia's gaze, her own innocence and truth shielding her from the venom in the accusation. "I think you're mistaken. I'm not here to cause any trouble or to seek something from Ethan. I've been through a lot, and he offered me a place to recover. That's all there is to it."