Chapter 4

Probably three years ago when my father died.

I'd felt completely hollowed out. Ethan postponed all his commitments and stayed with me in the village for half a month.

The day he had to leave, he held my hand, his tone gentle with instructions:

"Aria, you just finished the funeral. You look so pale. If my mother sees you like this, she'll just complain again. I don't want you suffering through that."

"Stay in the village for now, rest and recover. Didn't you always want to take over the family business?"

"Once I get things settled back there, I'll come get you."

I looked at him and nodded.

I was truly exhausted from the mother-in-law relationship that could never be repaired.

Back then, I believed he was thinking of me.

Couldn't bear for me to go back and face scorn.

Only later did I learn—

Distance doesn't make the heart grow fonder. It just makes it easier for him to love someone else.

Last year when his mother turned sixty, Ethan came to bring me back.

The moment I entered, I saw my stepsister Chloe, who was supposedly working in the city.

She was in the living room helping arrange fruit, her movements practiced.

Ethan paused while changing his shoes, explaining:

"Chloe's workplace is near our house. She's staying here temporarily."

He showed no guilt, so I said nothing more.

When my stepmother married into our family bringing Chloe, we were both already grown.

We'd never had much of a sisterly bond.

Over the years we only saw each other during holidays.

I couldn't quite identify my feelings about her staying there.

Seeing me enter, Chloe called out affectionately, "Aria."

"Don't overthink it. I'm just temporarily staying here. Once I find a place, I'll move out."

I nodded without responding.

Back then, I never imagined that while I, his wife, spent three years guarding an empty house in the village—

My sister had also been "working" away, living at the Quinn house for three years.

...

Now, watching Chloe cling to Ethan's back, I suddenly understood.

From start to finish, I wasn't waiting for him to bring me home, wasn't waiting for him to capture me in marriage.

I was waiting for my own heart to die.

Voices drifted over on the night wind, growing clearer.

Chloe's voice.

"...What about Aria? If she finds out, she'll raise hell."

Ethan's tone was certain: "She's all bark, soft-hearted underneath. Once she's done being mad, it'll blow over. Besides—"

He paused, his voice dropping: "Bride snatchings happen in pitch darkness—I just made a mistake. She'll feel sorry for me before she gets angry. She won't blame me."

"Once she knows, I'll smooth things over."

Chloe laughed softly.

My knuckles turned white from gripping so hard.

One of the brothers suddenly said: "Ethan, what if Aria gets captured by someone else?"

Silence fell on their side for a moment.

Then Ethan laughed: "You think she'd let herself get captured without a fight? With her temper, she'd tear the roof off tonight."

"True, with Aria's personality, there's no way she wouldn't fight back."

"Feel sorry for that poor groom—wonder what kind of beating he took."

The laughter grew louder.

I lowered my eyes. "Let's go."