Rewriting My Heart's Fate

"Oh, come in quickly." Lianne snapped out of her daze and ushered me inside. "You're here all of a sudden. Did something happen?"

Seated on her couch, I took a deep breath before cutting straight to the point. "Lianne, you and Ethan are close. You must know where he is, right?"

Her expression changed. "Ethan? I-I'm not sure. Ever since you went to prison, he's almost completely cut ties with us..." Her words mirrored what Kevin had said earlier, making me even more suspicious. Unwilling to give up, I pressed further. "But you two used to be so close. He couldn't have disappeared without leaving any trace, could he?"

Lianne sighed. "Evelyn, even if I did know, I couldn't tell you. That's what Ethan asked of me."

My heart sank like a stone. If even Lianne refused to say anything, it meant Ethan was determined to draw a hard line between us.

"What about Zach? He's at the Albright residence, isn't he? Do you know the exact location?"

Mentioning Zachary caused Lianne's expression to darken further. "I'm not sure of the exact location. But I've heard that Vivian has him confined in a manor on the outskirts of the city. He was guarded closely by her trusted aides."

Her words felt like a knife in my chest. I was so useless. I couldn't even find Zachary.

"I'm so sorry, Evelyn. I wish I could help more," Lianne said. Her voice was heavy with regret. "But the Albright's influence is overwhelming. We've tried, but..."

I shook my head and forced a weak smile. "It's okay. You've already done so much. This is between Ethan and me. I shouldn't drag you into it."

After bidding Lianne goodbye, I left her house feeling more lost than ever. The night hung dense and suffocating, mirroring the weight pressing on my chest.

Where was Ethan? I missed him so much. Before I realized it, I found myself in an underground parking lot. The dim lighting cast my solitary shadow. I was alone.

I pulled out my phone and was ready

to dial the number, but hesitated.

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This number was the last thing Lianne had given me. Earlier, I had begged, pleaded, and even threatened to cut ties with her, yet she still refused to share it.

Little did she know, I caught a glimpse on her phone while she was making me another coffee. Should I make this call? After a long moment of hesitation, I finally pressed the dial button.

en

The phone rang. Once. Twice. My heart pounded louder with every second passing around. At last, the call connected.

"Hello?" It was Ethan's voice on the other end. For a moment, I couldn't speak. My hand flew to my mouth as tears streamed down my face.

"Hello? Who's this?" His tone grew impatient when no answer came.

I came back to my senses. Finally, I spoke in a trembling voice, "Ethan, it's me..."

There was a sudden, deafening silence on the other end of the line. After what felt like an eternity, Ethan's voice finally came through, carrying the faintest tremor. "Evelyn, is it really you?"

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably as I choked back a sob. "Yes, it's me... Ethan, where have you been these past two years? Why didn't you come to see me?"

Another long pause. Then, Ethan sighed. "I'm sorry, Evelyn. It's my fault. I've made you suffer... But I hadnoveldrama

no choice. If I didn't do this, Vivan wouldn't have spared Zach."

I broke down. "I know you did it to protect me and Zach. But Ethan, why did you take it all on yourself?

Did you ever think about how Zach and I were supposed to live without you?"

I could hear the anguish in his voice as he replied.