Chapter Five

The next morning, Sophia woke up feeling very tired and sad. Sitting alone in the big, boring house wasn't making her feel better. She knew she had to do something to stop thinking about the sadness inside her. She couldn't just sit there feeling bad for herself anymore.

As she walked through the quiet house, her eyes stopped at the door of Ethan's home office. She had never gone inside before, it felt like one of those places that only belonged to Ethan and not her. But today, something made her want to go in. Maybe she was curious, or maybe she just wanted to feel closer to the man Ethan used to be, the man she didn't recognize anymore.

She stood by the door for a little while, her hand lingering over the handle. Then she took a deep breath, turned the doorknob, and went inside.

The office was perfectly clean. Everything looked like it was in the right place. The shelves were full of files, all neatly arranged. Not one paper was out of place. In the middle of the room was a nice desk that was shiny and polished like it was brand new. The walls were covered with framed certificates and awards. Each one showed Ethan's hard work and success.

But Sophia didn't care about those things. She wasn't there to look at his trophies or think about how well he had done. She wanted something more. She wanted to know what was in Ethan's heart.

She moved her fingers over the desk, looking around the room with her eyes. Then she noticed one drawer that was slightly open. Slowly, she pulled it open the rest of the way. Inside the drawer she saw a mix of things that didn't really fit in a neat perfect room like this.

One thing was obvious to her, a notebook that looked old and used. The bounds were torn, and the cover looked faded, like it had been opened and closed many times. Sophia felt curious and picked it up. The notebook felt heavy, not because it weighed a lot, but because it seemed like it was full of memories.

She opened it and flipped through the pages. Her eyes grew wide as she saw what was inside. The notebook was filled with notes and little drawings. Some of the writing was neat, and some looked like it had been written quickly. It felt like a brief look into Ethan's thoughts, a small look at the dreams he used to have.

One page made her stop. It was a list of places Ethan wanted to visit. Next to each place, he had written small notes.

"Paris: perfect for a honeymoon."

"Greece: imagine the sunsets."

"Japan: bucket list!"

Sophia felt a swell in her throat. This wasn't the Ethan she knew now. The man she lived with now barely talked to her, kept her at a distance and felt like a stranger. But this notebook reminded her of the Ethan she used to know, the Ethan who dreamed big, cared deeply about life, and showed so much love.

Her hands shook a little as she turned the page. Memories of the younger Ethan filled her mind. She could almost hear his voice again, full of excitement, talking about all the places he wanted to go and all the adventures he wanted to have.

But now, that Ethan felt like he was a million miles away.

As she closed the notebook, something slipped out from between the pages. It was a folded piece of paper. She picked it up, her heart beating faster and she opened it carefully.

The paper was a letter. The handwriting looked shaky, like the person writing it had struggled to hold the pen very well. Sophia read the words slowly, and with every line, her chest felt tighter and tighter.

"I'm sorry for everything, son. I hope one day you can forgive me."

At the bottom of the letter, it was signed by Ethan's father.

Sophia's face frowned, and her mind began to race. Ethan had never talked about his father. In fact, he almost never mentioned his family at all. But this letter, with its short and heartfelt apology, hinted at something she hadn't known. It spoke of a broken relationship, of pain that hadn't been healed.

Was this why Ethan had changed so much? Could this letter be part of the reason why he built walls around himself, why he seemed so cold and distant now?

Sophia sat down on the chair by the desk, holding the letter in her hands. She thought about all the times she had tried to talk to Ethan, to connect with him, only to feel shut out. She thought about the man in the family picture, the one who used to smile and seem so full of life.

What had happened to him?

She carefully folded the letter and put it back in the notebook. Then she placed the notebook back in the drawer and closed it. As she stood up, she felt different emotions inside her. She felt sad, a little angry, but also, deep down, she felt a small flicker of hope.

Maybe Ethan wasn't as unreachable as he seemed. Maybe the walls he had built around himself weren't as strong as they looked.

Sophia walked out of the office, her mind full of questions. For the first time in weeks, she felt a little determination rise inside her. She didn't know how she would do it, but she wanted to try to reach Ethan. She wanted to understand him, even if it meant breaking through years of pain and silence.

As she walked through the quiet hallways of the big house, her footsteps made little sounds. The house still felt empty, but as she made her way back to the living room, she noticed something new. Deep in her chest, she felt a small warmth, a tiny glimmer of hope.

It wasn't much, but it was something. It was a start.

The loud sound of thunder boomed far away, and the sky was covered in dark clouds. Rain was pouring heavily, splashing loudly on the windows. The wind was blowing strongly, making the big house feel even more empty and lonely.

Sophia was sitting close to the window in the living room. She wrapped a blanket tightly around her shoulders to keep warm. Her eyes stayed on the window, watching the rain as it came down fast and hard. The trees outside were moving wildly because of the strong wind. The house felt cold, not just from the storm but because it was so quiet. The quietness was something Sophia had grown used to, but tonight it felt worse.

She looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight. Ethan was still not home. Sophia felt her chest tighten with worry.

"He's always coming home late," she whispered quietly to herself. Her voice was so soft it could barely be heard over the sound of the rain. "But in this kind of storm... where could he be?"

Her mind was filled with questions. Did something bad happen to him? Was he stuck somewhere because of the storm? Or was it something even worse? She shook her head quickly, trying to push away the scary thoughts in her head.

Sophia got up from her seat and started walking back and forth in the room. Her bare feet made quiet sounds on the floor. She thought about calling Ethan on his phone but stopped herself. She didn't know if he would answer her call. And even if he did, she was afraid he might speak to her in that unfriendly and harsh way he sometimes did.

It felt like time was moving very slowly. Finally, after waiting for what seemed like forever, Sophia heard the soft sound of the front door unlocking. Her heart jumped in her chest.

The door opened, making a small creaking sound. Ethan stepped inside the house. He was completely wet from head to toe. His dark hair stuck to his face, and water was dripping from his suit onto the shiny floor. His shoulders were bent down, and he looked very tired. The confident way he usually carried himself was gone. His face showed something different tonight, he looked worn out. Or maybe it was something even deeper.

"Ethan!" Sophia called out as she ran toward him. "You're soaked! What happened to you?"

Ethan didn't say a word. He didn't even look at her. Instead, he walked past her and went straight to the couch. He sat down heavily, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. His wet suit held onto his body as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

Sophia stood there for some time, unsure of what to do next. She had seen Ethan act distant before, but tonight felt different. His silence was heavier, like it carried a lot of hidden pain. It was almost as if the storm outside had taken all the energy out of him.

She quickly called one of the housekeepers to get her a towel from her room. Then, she walked toward him slowly, her steps very careful. "Here," she said calmly, holding out the towel to him.

Ethan didn't move to take it.

Sophia's heart hurt as she looked at him sitting there like that. She wanted to help him, even if he didn't seem to want her help. Carefully, she placed the towel over his shoulders and sat down beside him on the couch.

"Ethan," she said gently, "please talk to me. What happened?"

The room was quiet for a long time. The only sounds were the rain still hitting the windows and the gentle sounds of thunder in the distance. Sophia kept her eyes on Ethan, noticing that his hands were shaking a little.

Finally, Ethan spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was low and rough, like it was hard for him to get the words out. "I went to see my father."

Sophia's eyes widened in surprise. Ethan almost never talked about his father. All she knew about him were small bits of information, how his father had left the family many years ago, how the divorce had hurt Ethan and his mom. But now, hearing Ethan say this, it felt like something new, something important.

"What… what did he say?" Sophia asked gently. Her voice was gentle because she didn't want to push him too much.

Ethan let out a small and painful laugh. He didn't sound happy at all. He shook his head as he answered, "He wanted to apologize. He said he wanted to explain why he left and why he tore our family apart."

Sophia felt a deep ache in her chest as she listened to him. She could see how much pain this was causing Ethan, even though he was trying to hide it.

"What did you do?" she asked him, her tone careful.

"I couldn't stay there and listen to him," Ethan said in a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. "I walked out before he could say much. I just… I couldn't do it. I couldn't stand to hear his excuses."

Sophia slowly reached out and placed her hand on his arm. Her touch was light but firm, a silent way of telling him that she was there for him. "Maybe…" she said calmly, "maybe he's really trying to make things right now. Maybe he regrets what he did."

Ethan turned his head to look at her. His eyes were filled with a mix of anger and sadness. "Why do you care, Sophia?" he asked her sharply. His voice wasn't cruel, but it was filled with frustration. "Why haven't you given up on me yet?"

Sophia wasn't expecting him to ask that question. For a while, she didn't know what to say. But she didn't look away from him. She met his eyes and spoke firmly, "Because I know there's more to you than this, Ethan. I've seen it before. I know it's still there."

Ethan kept staring at her, his face hard to read. Sophia couldn't tell what he was thinking. She was afraid he might argue with her or tell her she was wrong. But he didn't. Instead, he let out a deep sigh and leaned back against the couch.

The storm outside was starting to calm down. The loud thunder was fading, and the rain wasn't as heavy as before. The room felt still and quiet now, but Sophia's heart was beating fast. She didn't know exactly what had changed between them tonight, but something felt really different.