LOVING HIM DEEPLY

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked, glancing at Isis as he drove. Her head rested against the window, and her distant expression worried him. He could tell she was trying her best not to cry.

"Can you hear me?" he asked again, his voice gentle.

Isis stirred from her thoughts and sat up, offering him a faint smile. "Thank you for today," she said softly.

Ethan returned the smile and nodded. "It's nothing," he replied. But even as he spoke, his mind was filled with unanswered questions. He stole another glance at her, curiosity flickering in his eyes. He wanted to ask what had driven her to propose to him so suddenly, but he knew it wasn't his place to pry.

As the car sped down the quiet road, his gaze briefly drifted to the engagement ring on his finger. It sparkled under the soft glow of the streetlights, and he couldn't help but notice how expensive it looked.

He wanted to ask her series of questions but he decided to keep it to himself , After all, he barely knew her. Whatever she was going through was clearly personal, and he didn't want to overstep his boundaries.

Suddenly, he heard soft sobs. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he turned to look at her. Her face was flushed, her lips trembling, and her eyes brimmed with tears she was desperately trying to hold back.

"You know… it's okay to cry when it hurts," Ethan said gently. His voice was low and comforting. "There's no harm in that."

Almost immediately, Isis broke down, bursting into uncontrollable tears. She sobbed loudly, her entire body shaking from the weight of her emotions. It was the kind of crying that came from deep pain — the kind that couldn't be hidden anymore. Ethan glanced at her, his chest tightening.

This wasn't the woman he'd initially thought she was — the cold, ill-mannered woman who had proposed to him out of nowhere. The woman sitting beside him now was broken, vulnerable, and clearly in pain. For the first time, he felt true pity for her.

Minutes passed in silence, broken only by her sobs. Soon, her crying began to subside. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, her breathing still uneven. Ethan quietly rolled down the window, letting the fresh night breeze sweep through the car.

Isis closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the cool air on her face. She sighed deeply. "Thank you," she muttered softly.

"It's alright," he replied, his voice calm. "I think we've reached your hotel." He pulled the car to a stop in front of the building where she and Barry had been staying.

Isis glanced outside and gave a small, tired smile. Ethan quickly stepped out of the car and walked around to her side, opening the door for her. She looked up at him with a grateful expression and got out slowly.

They stood there for a moment, neither knowing what to say.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Ethan asked gently.

Isis nodded, offering a faint smile. "I'm alright. I can find my way."

He nodded too, though his concern lingered. They stood there for a bit longer, unsure how to part ways. Finally, Isis spoke.

"I think… I'll get inside now," she said softly, breaking the silence.

"Okay," Ethan replied, stepping back. "Take care."

Isis walked right past him but suddenly stopped. She turned back and looked at him with a small smile. "Bye," she said, lifting her hand in a gentle wave.

Ethan smiled back, raising his hand. "Bye, Isis," he whispered quietly to himself as he watched her walk away. He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, before getting into his car and driving off.

As his taillights disappeared down the road, lshe suddenly froze. Her eyes widened as she realized something. "I didn't even ask for his name," she murmured to herself. For a brief second, a wave of regret washed over her. But then she shook her head with a sigh. "There's no need," she muttered. "After all, we won't be seeing each other again."

With that, she turned and walked into the hotel.

Reaching her door, she reached out to turn the handle — but stopped.

The door wasn't locked. Someone was inside.

Her heart sank as she realized who it must be. Barry.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm the storm of emotions brewing inside her. Slowly, she pushed the door open and stepped in.

Barry sat on the sofa, legs casually crossed, a glass of alcohol in his hand. His expression was smug, as if he had every right to be there. The sight of him made her blood boil.

The nerve of him — sitting there so casually, drinking, after everything he had done.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Isis demanded, her voice sharp and cold.

Barry stood up immediately, holding out his hands in a gesture of peace. "Come on, babe. Don't be like that. I can explain everything."

Isis's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer. "Explain?" she spat, her voice trembling with rage. "Explain what, Barry? That I walked in on you with another woman? That I caught you cheating? What exactly do you think you need to explain?"

Barry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not what you think," he said, taking a step toward her.

Isis took a step back, keeping her distance. "Not what I think?!" she repeated incredulously. "I saw you, Barry! Don't stand there and lie to my face."

Barry sighed again, clearly frustrated. "Look, it was a mistake. I wasn't thinking straight. You know how stressful things have been lately—"

Isis dropped her purse on the floor, the thud echoing through the room. Her eyes never left him as she took slow, deliberate steps toward him. Her expression was cold, yet beneath the surface, a storm brewed.

"You know what amuses me the most?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with bitterness. "The fact that you were caught red-handed, and yet, here you are, still trying to deny it until the very end."

Barry took a cautious step toward her, his hands raised in a feigned gesture of innocence. "There's nothing to deny," he said defensively. "You're just overthinking everything."

As he moved closer, lher expression hardened. The moment he reached out to touch her, she raised her hand and delivered a deafening slap across his face. The sound echoed through the room, leaving hm stunned.

"Don't you dare use those filthy hands of yours to touch me," she hissed through gritted teeth. Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, her rage boiling over. "You filthy swine."

Barry winced, rubbing his cheek, but remained quiet.

Isis's voice trembled as she continued. "Of all the women in the world, you had to cheat with her? Mel! You chose Mel… my friend!"

"Baby, please," Barry pleaded, his tone softening. "I can explain. She came on to me first—"

"Don't you dare," Isis snapped, cutting him off. Her voice was sharp, filled with venom. "Don't you dare try to shift the blame. You think I'm stupid?"

Barry shook his head, stepping closer again. "It's not like that, I swear—"

"I should have listened," she muttered, more to herself than to him. Her voice cracked with pain. "My mom warned me about you. Everyone did. But I refused to listen. I ignored the signs — the signs were right there — and still, I chose to believe in you."

Her hands trembled as she wiped at her face, smearing her tears. Her chest felt tight, her heart heavy with regret. The betrayal cut deeper than she'd ever imagined.

"Isis, please," Barry said softly, desperation creeping into his voice. "Just let me explain."

she raised her head slowly, her expression now blank, void of the emotions she had been holding back moments ago. Her eyes locked onto his, cold and unwavering.

"Leave my room," she said quietly.

Barry blinked in confusion. "What?"

"I said, get the hell out of my room!" she shouted, her voice rising in anger as she stepped forward and began pushing him toward the door. Her strength surprised him, fueled by fury and heartbreak.

"Isis, come on!" Barry protested as he stumbled backward. "Where am I supposed to sleep? It's already late."

"That's none of my concern," she replied coldly, shoving him toward the door. "You brought this on yourself. Now leave."

"Babe, please—"

"Don't call me that!" she yelled, shoving him one final time until he was out in the hallway. Her hand hovered over the door for a brief moment before she slammed it shut with a loud bang.

Barry stood outside the door, dumbfounded and frustrated. He knocked again, but she ignored him.

she leaned against the door, sliding down until she sat on the floor. Her head hung low, her shoulders shaking as the sobs she'd been holding back burst forth once more. Tears streamed down her face, hot and endless. She hugged her knees to her chest, her heart aching with every beat.

The room felt suffocating, filled with memories of Barry — every laugh, every kiss, every moment they had shared together. And now, it was all gone. Everything they had built was shattered, reduced to nothing but broken pieces.

She wiped at her face, but the tears kept coming. Her sobs grew louder, uncontrollable, the pain too much to bear. She felt foolish, angry at herself for trusting him, for loving him so deeply.