Ethan's POV
The night was far from over. The heavy silence that lingered after Vince's departure was suffocating, each breath feeling like a struggle as Ethan tried to process the danger that had just narrowly passed. He had never expected Vince to show up at Bella's apartment—he'd known the man was dangerous, but to have him stand there, so close to the woman and children he was trying to protect, it rattled him to his core.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm the storm inside his head. His thoughts were scattered, the tension of the encounter, the harsh words exchanged, and Bella's unwavering resolve all swirling together, making it hard for him to think clearly.
But one thing was certain: he couldn't afford to let his guard down again.
Bella stood across from him, her eyes shadowed with something he couldn't place. After everything, after Vince's threats and his own need to protect her, she still managed to look composed, though he knew she was anything but.
"You alright?" Ethan asked, his voice low, carefully watching her reaction.
Bella met his gaze, her eyes steely but vulnerable. "I'm fine," she said quietly, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "You didn't have to get involved, Ethan. You shouldn't have risked it."
He took a step forward, closer to her, unable to hide the frustration building inside him. "I couldn't sit back and let him threaten you, Bella. You're not just anyone to me. And I don't want to lose you again."
The words hung between them, raw and unspoken, lingering like the fog of the past they'd never fully addressed. His heart ached to say the words that had been building up inside him for years—I'm sorry, I love you, I never should have let you go. But the weight of his regrets was a bitter pill, and he wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it.
Bella's gaze softened for a moment, her eyes flicking to the floor before meeting his again. "Ethan…" she started, but her voice faltered. "This isn't about us anymore. It's about keeping the twins safe. I can't let you keep fighting this battle for me."
The mention of the twins, Aiden and Aria, brought him back to the reality of their situation. The twins were his responsibility now, too. They weren't just her children—they were his. He would do anything to protect them, no matter the cost. But the weight of that responsibility felt heavier with each passing second.
"You're not alone in this," Ethan said, his tone firm, reassuring. "We'll handle it together. I'm not walking away again. Not this time."
Bella shook her head, her expression conflicted. "You don't understand. Vince isn't just some man you can threaten and walk away from. He's dangerous, Ethan. And he has a way of twisting everything—making you doubt everything."
Her words hit him harder than he expected, and he couldn't suppress the memories of their past. The pain of losing her, the reasons why she had run away—the betrayal. She wasn't wrong. Vince had played his part in their separation, manipulating her, forcing her to make choices she hadn't wanted to make. But Ethan had played a part in that too, with his silence, his reluctance to listen, to trust her completely.
Ethan clenched his jaw, trying to shake off the guilt that threatened to consume him. "I'm not going to let him manipulate you again. Or the twins. I promise you, I'll do whatever it takes."
She looked at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his, as though weighing his words. And for the first time since their reunion, he saw the flicker of something—something that looked like hope. But she quickly masked it, pulling her emotions back beneath the surface.
"I don't want to hurt you, Ethan. I've spent years building a life without you. And I won't let anyone—especially Vince—destroy that."
The vulnerability in her voice was almost too much for him to bear. She was so strong, yet he could hear the cracks in her words, the pain that she carried. And he realized in that moment, just how much she had been holding back. She was afraid—afraid to trust again, afraid of the hurt she knew could come from loving him.
Ethan reached for her hand, his touch gentle, but steady. "You're not alone anymore, Bella. We're in this together. And I won't let anyone hurt you or the twins. Not even Vince."
Her eyes softened as she looked at him, her breath catching in her throat. "I don't know how to let you in again," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can."
The admission hit him like a punch to the gut. But it also gave him hope. Because she was still here. She was still fighting. And that was all he needed.
"I'll wait," Ethan said, his voice unwavering. "For as long as it takes. I'll wait for you to trust me again, Bella. I'll prove to you that I'm not the same man I was before. I'll prove it to you, and I'll prove it to our family."
Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but before she could, a sound interrupted the moment—a soft cry from the other room. Ethan's heart lurched in his chest. Aiden and Aria.
Without another word, Bella turned and rushed toward the bedroom, her face softening instantly as she went to check on the twins. Ethan followed, his mind still racing, trying to piece everything together. Vince was out there—still lurking, still dangerous. He needed to protect Bella and the twins at all costs.
But as he stood there, watching Bella calm Aiden down, whispering soft reassurances to her son, Ethan felt a sense of certainty settle over him. He would do anything to keep them safe.
He didn't care what it took. He wouldn't let Vince win. Not this time.
As Bella turned back toward him, her face soft but weary, Ethan knew that the battle ahead was far from over. But one thing was clear—he wasn't backing down. Not from her. Not from the twins. And not from the man who had torn their lives apart.
The war had only just begun. But this time, they'd fight it together.