With narrowed eyes, Ms Hudson slowly turned around as she tilted her head. "What did you just say?"
How are you.
"I'm not leaving," he repeated firmly.
Unable to believe what she had just heard, her forehead creased as she got closer to him. "Did you just say no to me?"
"I don't want to leave and I won't."
"How dare you disobey me again?"
"I'm j-"
"Shut up!" she yelled as she slapped him across the face.
In a low tone, he expressed his shock as he touched his cheek. "You slapped me."
"And I'll do it again if that's what it'll take to set you straight! I've already forgiven you a few times on occasions where you disrespected or disobeyed me but that's it. If I walk out that door and you don't follow me soon enough, you'll regret it."
"No." He couldn't hide the pain in his response. "You know what? I'm tired."
"What?"
He sighed as he faced the floor then back at her. "I just thought to myself that if I continue to allow this, it'll never come to an end."
"What are you talking about?"
"The control," he said. "I'm tired of always doing my best to live my life according to your own wishes. I'm tired of always putting you first before my own interests, every time and it's because I always feel like I'm indebted to you."
She placed a hand on her forehead, then gritted her teeth as she pointed at him. "Do you realize just how ungrateful you sound right now?"
"I don't mean to sound ungrateful. Can't you see that you basically dictate my whole life? I don't want that anymore. As of this moment, I'll do exactly as I please."
With one hand on her chest and the other pointing at him, she spoke with strain in her voice. "I raised you and I'm solely responsible for who you are today and this is what I get?"
"Mom, I love you and I'm deeply grateful but that doesn't mean I can't make my own decisions in my own life. I've always strived to make you happy by doing everything you asked of me but not anymore."
It took a while for her to respond and right before she did, she chuckled as a tear trickled down her cheek. "I see she already got to you. Are you already embracing her?"
"What?"
"It seems you don't need me anymore now that you found her."
"What are you talking about?"
"Is that why you're telling me all this?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but no, this is how I genuinely feel. I've allowed you to have total control of my life for as long as I can remember but it needs to stop. I'm making it stop."
Ms Hudson realized that it might not have had anything to do with Helena and Martha but that changed nothing.
"Fine, stay here and make your own choices," she said. "I've only ever looked out for you but you know what? Do what you want since it's your life. No matter what you do, never step foot in my house ever again."
"You have it a-"
"Had I known such a day would arrive, a day where you would show how ungrateful you are for all I've done for you, I would've left you at that orphanage!"
Her words were so harsh that he parted his lips to speak but nothing came out. It only hurt more as he thought about what she meant.
As soon as she uttered those harsh words, she took a deep breath, wiped her tears and turned around to leave as fast as she could.
It took Ethan a while to move from his spot as the words he heard from his mother pierced right through his heart deeper and deeper.
It was only when Angela stood in front of him and asked if he was alright that he nodded with a sigh of disappointment. Without saying a single word to her, he headed up the stairs, slowly holding onto the rails for support as he replayed his mother's words.
When he was back to Olivia's bedroom, he sat on the chair, inched forward, then buried his face in his hands with a loud sigh and for a few minutes, he stayed that way.
When he composed himself, despite the pain in his heart, he reached for her hand and gently squeezed it.
"I'm glad I decided to stay here with you."
Just to mask the pain he felt, he forced himself to chuckle but soon enough, unable to endure it, he headed downstairs to the cellar, where not even Olivia had gone before. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and the moment he opened it, he drank it in large gulps as he walked around the house.
When Angela saw him, she rushed to him and put her hands together as she begged him to slow down, but his eyes were already so red that he didn't want to stop. Once he drank it all, he went back to the cellar for another one.
Later, in his drunk state, he held onto the rails as he headed upstairs and when Angela offered to help, he raised his hand in the air to stop her.
When he was upstairs, he held onto the wall for support and opened the door to Olivia's bedroom. When he saw her fast asleep, he approached her with a blank expression but his eyes had turned more red.
He walked all the way to the other side of the bed, sluggishly took off his shoes then got on the bed. He lay down with his head facing the ceiling and his eyes instantly shut from all the alcohol in his body.
For a man like him, who didn't easily break down, his mother's words had him in such a fragile state that just few minutes after his eyes closed, tears trickled down the sides of his face.
~
Later in the night, Olivia finally opened her eyes. With a groan, since she still experienced some pain, she started to move her body to switch sleeping positions but the moment she faced the other side, she couldn't believe her eyes. The view before her was that of Ethan's side profile.
Finding it hard to believe he was actually there with her in the same bed, she raised her hand with struggle and slowly ran her fingers on the other side of his face. She felt the texture of his skin and confirmed he was real.
Still sleepy and tired, she drifted off to sleep but forgot to pull back her arm and for the rest of the night, it rested across his chest with her hand on his cheek.
All she knew was he was on the bed with her, unaware just how much emotional pain he had experienced earlier.
~
Later in the morning, when Ethan opened his eyes, he couldn't get up right away as he felt the weight of something on his chest. He instantly looked down and over at Olivia. The moment he saw her face, he realized he slept in the same bed with her.
With a sigh, he touched the back of her hand to have it more against his cheek. The feeling of it made him shut his eyes, taking in the warmth as comfort for what was in his heart. That moment he shared with her, even if she was unaware, became significant to him.
As soon as he remembered his mother's last words before she left, those which led him to drink, he slowly placed Olivia's hand on her side of the bed then got out of bed.
He didn't even feel the need to turn on his phone as he had no desire to find out if anyone had called him in the night. He had already ruled out the possibility of his mother calling, especially when she expressed how she felt about him.
He looked through the drawers in the other bedroom for some clothes he had kept there, then made his way downstairs.
When Angela saw him, she couldn't help but remember how hurt he was the previous day. Without making it too obvious that she was worried about him, she greeted him like she normally did and he had completely masked his pain.
He then told her he was going for a run but as soon as Olivia would wake up or anything would happen, she should call to inform him.
~
Mr Philip had knocked on Natalie's bedroom door several times but there was no response but he didn't give up. He needed to check on his heartbroken daughter.
When she finally responded, it was only to tell him to go away and her tone was as if she was in tears. It was more than enough for him to get the spare key to check on her.
When he walked in, he found her on the floor with most of the furniture scattered.
He rushed to her and right away noticed her puffy eyes. He crouched down in front of her and she didn't even pay attention to him.
"Oh, my child, did you even get any sleep? Just look at you."
"Everyone is obviously making fun of me."
"I'm not. Stop feeling that way."
"I could've woken up as Ethan's wife today. It was all because of Olivia."
He sighed to control his irritation. "You need to stop saying that."
"It's because of her that Ethan didn't marry me. She planned everything and called at that moment."
"Natalie-"
"She had been waiting for that day to ruin it all for me."
"No, y-"
"I'll make her pay for ruining my big day a-"
"Will you stop blaming Olivia?" he yelled as he held onto her shoulders.
With wide eyes, she shook her head. "Why should I when she's responsible for what's happening to me?"
"Because she's not the one who left you at the altar!"
It took a while for her to speak as she thought about it but soon, she forced herself to chuckle. "If not for that phone call, Ethan would've never left."
"Why do you have to be this way? He didn't care enough to put you first and I saw that for a long time. He didn't even call you to explain himself yesterday. Don't hold onto something that's not even there. For my sake and yours, have some self-respect."
Her lower lip quivered and as soon as she burst into tears, he wrapped his arms around her and she held onto his arms and bawled her eyes out.
He then affectionately told her that she needed to walk away as it would greatly help her move on, since it was clear that not anytime soon, or ever, would she get married to Ethan.
~
Angela had come up to the bedroom to watch over Olivia and it took a while for her to open her eyes so when she did, Angela got in her face with relief as she expressed how worried she was.
Olivia could only speak in a low tone and the first thing she said did not even come as a surprise.
"Did Ethan really sleep in the same bed with me last night?"
Angela chuckled, then suddenly turned serious as she nodded and narrated to her all that led to him ending up there. She explained all that had happened between Ethan and his mother when he stood up to her. Unable to help it, Angela demonstrated it all with dramatic expressions.
As Angela was closer to the end of what had happened when Ms Hudson had come over and how Ethan was so broken about it that he got drunk, Olivia was filled with a desire to hug him but found out he had gone for a morning run.
"I'm so worried about him," said Olivia. "Equally important, I feel bad for Natalie."
"I'm at fault," said Angela, placing her hands on top of her head. "I shouldn't have called him at that moment."
"Don't blame yourself."
"Ms Hudson was right. I ruined everything."
"No, it was Ethan's choice to leave. Come to think of it, he could've carried on with the wedding and sent the doctor here."
"That's what I said!" Angela raised her hands in the air with wide eyes, glad that someone else had the same thought. "I asked him why he didn't do it that way but he never answered me."
"I hope Natalie's alright." Olivia sighed, wondering what type of state Natalie was in.
Not wanting to be in bed any longer, despite still experiencing some pain, she attempted to get out of bed but groaned when she felt some discomfort in her feet.
Angela rushed to her to position her feet but when she saw them, she gasped at how swollen they were. She instantly ran downstairs to get her phone and called Ethan.
~
As soon as Ethan arrived, he pushed the door open with such a rapid force that its edge slammed against the wall.
Angela got out of the way as he rushed to Olivia and sat on the bed. "Hey," he said, panting. "Let me see your feet."
"It's nothing s-"
"No, it is to me."
Olivia couldn't help but wonder if the man before her was the same self-centered jerk she always knew him to be. He quickly pushed back the covers and when she saw his expression of concern, she tilted her head to the side and watched him lovingly. She even imagined him standing up to his mother just so he could stay there with her.
Angela thought she needed to let them have a moment alone so she excused herself, claiming she needed to make breakfast.
Olivia was so carried away that she only snapped out of it when he began to pace as he spoke to the doctor.
His tone suddenly turned aggressive and was with frustration as he told the doctor that she should've been there to deal with the situation. The more time he spent on the phone with her, the more agitated he became.
It was only when she held onto his hand when he paced close to the bed that he stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. She whispered to him to take it easy and he sighed, then spoke to the doctor in a neutral tone as he told her to hurry.
As soon as he ended the call, he sighed again as he sat on the bed with their fingers still intertwined. With his gaze on the floor, he gently rubbed his thumb along her finger and didn't even seem to realize it since he impatiently tapped his foot in anticipation for the doctor's arrival.
Her heart raced seeing him that way and her lips curved into a smile, but it was only for a second and then she composed herself.
"I was wondering," she said. "Don't you have to go to the office or something?"
"How could I think about work when all I want is to be here with you?"
"What?" she asked, flustered.
"I meant to monitor your condition." He shut his eyes as he quickly touched the bridge of his nose with two of his fingers and let her hand go.
"Oh..."
"Yeah..."
His response was followed by an awkward silence between them and in that moment, she wondered whether or not to go ahead with a burning question. Unable to take it any longer, she finally went for it.
"Have you spoken to Natalie?"
"About what?" he asked, then shook his head when he realized something. "I'm assuming Angela told you everything."
"Yes, she told me absolutely everything," Olivia said suggestively, hinting at the fact that she also knew about what happened between him and his mother.
"So....have you spoken to Natalie?" she asked again, eager to know.
"You already asked me that."
"It's because you still haven't answered my question."
"No, I haven't spoken to her."
"What are you waiting for?"
"You make it sound like I actually have to speak to her."
"Don't you think you owe her an apology?"