The Illusion Of Us

CHAPTER 19

Ethan's tears flowed freely, his hand reaching out to touch her face gently. "I'd move to Ketchikan if that's what it takes. I'll go wherever you both are. Just... tell me you want me in your life again. I love you so much, Ava."

In that moment, under the starlit sky, with the fire crackling and Ethan's heartfelt pleas hanging in the air, Ava felt her resolve waver. Yet, despite the tumult of emotions within her, she knew she couldn't simply erase the past. Her decision to return to Ketchikan was not just about distance—it was about protecting the fragile peace she had fought so hard to build for herself and Lily.

Ethan's groveling, his raw display of vulnerability and love, tugged at her heartstrings, but Ava remained silent, her mind made up, even as her heart ached at the sight of his pain. The road to healing and forgiveness was long, and while Ethan's words offered a glimmer of hope, Ava knew that some wounds required more than promises—they needed time, space, and, above all, a trust that had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Few days following the camping trip, a thick silence enveloped Ava's world. Ethan, once a persistent presence in her life, had vanished without a trace. Messages went unanswered, calls unreturned. Even Nate, usually so attuned to his friend's movements, expressed concern. Ethan's sudden and uncharacteristic leave of absence from work only deepened the worry.

Ava, despite her resolve to maintain distance, found herself increasingly anxious. The thought that her decision to leave might have driven Ethan into this reclusive state weighed heavily on her. The more she considered it, the more the need to ensure his well-being gnawed at her.

Finally, she reached out to Nate, her voice tense with concern. "Nate, where does Ethan live? It's been almost a week, and no one's heard from him. I need to check on him."

Nate hesitated, the gravity of the situation evident in his voice. "He's still in the apartment in Manhattan. He never moved, Ava. After you left, he... he couldn't bring himself to leave. Said it was the last place he felt connected to you."

Ava's heart clenched at the revelation, a mix of guilt and a newfound urgency propelling her forward. "I need to see him, Nate. I can't just sit here not knowing if he's okay."

Nate's next words were spoken softly, a truth only he knew, one that Ethan had kept hidden in the depths of his heart. "Ava, there's something you should know. After you left, Ethan... he was a shell of the man he used to be. He threw himself into work, avoided social gatherings, anything that might remind him too much of you. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the memories. Your picture, the one from your anniversary, it's still on his nightstand. He kept hoping, waiting for a sign that you might come back."

The image of a solitary Ethan, living in the shadow of their shared past, struck a chord within Ava. The man who had once broken her heart now seemed to be breaking his own, holding onto the fragments of a life they once dreamed of together.

"He's serious about winning you back, Ava. He's changed a lot," Nate added, his voice earnest. "He's been patient, respectful of your space, but his feelings... they've never wavered. He still loves you, deeply."

Nate's voice softened, a brother's insight into his sister's heart coming to the forefront. "And Ava, I know you still love him. I see it in the way you speak about him, in the way you worry. There's nothing standing in your way now. No misunderstandings, no secrets. Just two people who've been given a second chance to make things right."

With Nate's words echoing in her mind, Ava knew she couldn't delay any longer. The need to see Ethan, to confront the past and face whatever remained of their connection, was no longer a choice—it was a necessity.