Chapter 16: A Moment of Truth

The days following Ethan and Sarah's kiss were filled with an unspoken tension, not the kind that pushed them apart, but one that pulled them closer. Every glance they shared lingered just a second too long. Every accidental touch sparked something undeniable.

Sarah tried to focus on her daily routines, but nothing felt the same. The house, once just a place of work, now felt charged with an energy she couldn't ignore. Ethan was everywhere—his scent clung to the halls, his laughter echoed in her mind, and the memory of his lips on hers haunted her.

Ethan, on the other hand, had never been more aware of his own emotions. He had spent years pretending not to care about much, shielding himself behind arrogance and indifference. But Sarah had stripped that all away. She saw him—the real him—and instead of running, she had kissed him back. That meant something, didn't it?

But neither of them spoke about it. Instead, they danced around it, pretending as if nothing had changed when, in truth, everything had.

One evening, after a long day, Sarah found herself in the kitchen, her hands deep in soapy water as she washed the dinner plates. The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional clink of dishes. She was lost in thought when Ethan's voice startled her.

"You've been avoiding me."

Her hands froze for a second before she forced herself to continue scrubbing. "I haven't."

Ethan leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. "You have. And we both know why."

She sighed, setting down the plate she was holding. "Ethan…"

"No." He took a step closer. "Don't do that. Don't shut me out."

Her shoulders tensed. She had spent so long guarding her heart, afraid of getting hurt, afraid of opening herself up to something that could crumble just as easily as it had been built.

Ethan saw the battle in her eyes, and for the first time, he decided to lay his own defenses down. "I don't want to pretend nothing happened," he admitted. "Because something did happen. And it wasn't just the kiss, Sarah. It's everything. The way we talk, the way we look at each other… I don't want to ignore it anymore."

She turned to face him, wiping her damp hands on a towel. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?" He stepped even closer, closing the space between them. "You're scared. I get it. But so am I."

She let out a humorless chuckle. "You? Scared?"

Ethan smirked, but there was no arrogance in it this time. "Terrified."

The air between them was thick, heavy with unspoken emotions. Sarah's pulse quickened as Ethan reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture was so tender, so unlike the Ethan she had first met, that it made her heart ache.

"I don't want to be another regret in your life," she whispered.

"You won't be." His voice was steady, certain. "But if we keep pretending this doesn't exist, that will be the regret."

Sarah swallowed hard. The truth was, she wanted this—wanted him. But letting him in meant exposing herself to the possibility of pain, of disappointment.

"I don't know how to do this," she admitted.

Ethan smiled softly. "Then let's figure it out together."

His hand slid down, his fingers brushing against hers. And this time, she didn't pull away. Instead, she let him hold her hand, let herself believe—just for a moment—that maybe, just maybe, this could be real.

Later That Night

Sarah sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers tracing over the fabric of the blanket absently. Her heart was still racing from her conversation with Ethan.

A knock at her door made her look up.

"Come in," she called, already knowing who it was.

Ethan stepped inside, hesitating for a moment before closing the door behind him. He looked different—less confident, almost uncertain.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

She shook her head. "No, I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither."

He moved closer, standing a few feet away from where she sat. The silence between them was filled with something unspoken, something neither of them knew how to put into words.

After a beat, Ethan let out a breath. "I don't know how to do this either," he admitted. "Relationships, feelings… they weren't exactly part of my life before."

Sarah tilted her head, watching him carefully. "Why not?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Because I never thought they mattered. I was too busy living up to expectations—being the guy everyone assumed I was. But with you…" He exhaled sharply. "With you, I don't have to be that guy."

Her heart clenched at his words. She had spent so long thinking Ethan was nothing more than an arrogant rich kid. But standing before her was a man stripped of all pretense, a man willing to be vulnerable.

"Then don't be," she said softly.

Ethan met her gaze, and for the first time in his life, he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

"I want to do this right," he murmured.

Sarah smiled, a small, hesitant thing. "Then let's take it one step at a time."

Ethan reached out, his fingers brushing against hers once more. And just like before, she let him.

Because maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something real.