chapter 7: A Glimpse Into The Past

I left the rooftop bar with more questions than answers. Ethan's words kept echoing in my mind: "My feelings for Sophia are... complicated." What did he mean by that? And what had happened between them in the past?

As I walked home, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was caught in the middle of a very messy situation. Ethan and Sophia's history was clearly complex, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to get entangled in it.

The next day, I arrived at the office to find Rachel waiting for me with a curious expression.

"Hey, Camila, how was your night?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Rachel's friendly demeanor put me at ease, and I found myself opening up to her.

"I ran into Ethan and Sophia at the rooftop bar," I said, trying to summarize the events of the previous night. "It was pretty intense. They have a lot of history between them."

Rachel nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, they do. Ethan and Sophia were married for five years, but it was a tumultuous relationship. They were always fighting, and it was clear that they weren't happy together."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What happened?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Rachel leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "From what I've heard, Sophia was always very possessive and controlling. She would get jealous if Ethan even looked at another woman, and she would lash out at him in public. It was really ugly."

I winced, imagining the scene. "That sounds awful," I said, feeling a pang of sympathy for Ethan.

Rachel nodded. "Yeah, it was. And Ethan, being the proud person he is, didn't want to admit that he was unhappy in the marriage. So he stayed in it for far too long, trying to make it work."

I nodded, starting to understand the dynamics between Ethan and Sophia. "And what about now?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Are they still in contact?"

Rachel hesitated, her expression uncertain. "I'm not sure," she said. "Ethan doesn't talk about Sophia much, but I know they still have some... unfinished business between them."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Unfinished business?" I repeated, my curiosity piqued.

Rachel nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah. I think there's still a lot of emotion between them, even though they're divorced. And I'm not sure if Ethan is ready to let go of the past just yet."

I left the conversation with Rachel feeling more confused than ever. What did Ethan's past with Sophia have to do with me? And why did I get the feeling that I was being pulled into their drama?

As I sat at my desk, trying to focus on my work, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Ethan was hiding something from me. And that Rachel's words had only scratched the surface of a much deeper issue.

Just as I was starting to get lost in my thoughts, my phone rang. It was Ethan.

"Camila, I need to see you," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Can you meet me at the office in an hour?"

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. But something about Ethan's tone put me on edge.

"Okay, I'll be there," I said finally, trying to sound calm.

Ethan's response was immediate. "Good. I'll see you then."

As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but wonder what Ethan wanted to talk to me about. And why he sounded so... intense.

The next hour passed slowly, my mind racing with possibilities. When I finally arrived at the office, Ethan was waiting for me, his eyes gleaming with intensity.

"Camila, I need to ask you something," he said, his voice low and husky. "Can I trust you?"

I felt a surge of surprise at the question. What did Ethan mean? And why did he need to ask me that?

But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something there that made me hesitate. A glimmer of vulnerability, perhaps. Or a hint of desperation.

And in that moment, I knew that I had to make a choice. To trust Ethan, or not to trust him.

"yes, Ethan," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "You can trust me."

Ethan's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of relief. But then, his expression smoothed out, and he smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Good," he said, his voice low and husky. "Because I'm about to tell you a secret. A secret that could change everything."

Ethan's words hung in the air, leaving me feeling both intrigued and apprehensive. What kind of secret could he possibly share that would change everything?

As I waited for him to continue, I couldn't help but notice the way his eyes seemed to bore into mine. It was as if he was searching for something, trying to gauge my reaction before revealing whatever it was that he wanted to tell me.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ethan spoke up. "Camila, I have to tell you something about my past," he said, his voice low and measured. "Something that I've kept hidden for a long time."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I waited for him to continue. What could he possibly reveal that would be so earth-shattering?

Ethan took a deep breath before speaking again. "I wasn't always the person I am today," he said, his eyes clouding over with a mixture of emotions. "I came from a very different world, one that was marked by poverty and violence."

I felt a surge of surprise at his words. Ethan, the wealthy and successful businessman, had come from a background of poverty and violence? It seemed impossible.

But as I looked into his eyes, I saw the truth there. I saw the pain and the struggle, the determination and the resilience. And I knew that Ethan was telling me the truth.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan's eyes seemed to glaze over, as if he was reliving a memory that he'd rather forget. "I grew up on the streets," he said, his voice flat and emotionless. "I had to fight to survive, to scrape together enough money to eat and find a place to sleep."

I felt a pang of sadness at his words. No one should have to go through that, especially not a child.

But as I looked at Ethan, I saw the strength and the courage that had carried him through those difficult times. And I knew that he was a survivor, a fighter who had refused to give up even when the odds were against him.

As I sat there, listening to Ethan's story, I felt a sense of connection to him that I'd never felt before. I realized that we weren't so different, after all. We'd both been through our own struggles, our own battles to survive.

And as I looked into Ethan's eyes, I knew that I wanted to help him. I wanted to be there for him, to support him and to stand by him.

But as I opened my mouth to speak, Ethan's phone rang, shrill and insistent. He hesitated for a moment before answering, his eyes never leaving mine.

And as he listened to the person on the other end of the line, his expression changed. It darkened, becoming more intense and more focused.

"What is it?" I asked, feeling a sense of unease.

Ethan's eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a glimmer of something there. Something that looked almost like... fear.

"It's Sophia," he said, his voice low and husky. "She's threatening to reveal a secret that could destroy my business. And I think she's serious."