Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts novel Chapter 74

"Then just fall for me."

Ethan was staring at Ines, his eyes full of determination. "I'm a bossy guy. I don't want just a wife, I want someone I love and who loves me to be by my side."

"Ethan, can we not do this? Let's just keep things the way they were when we got married."

Ethan held Ines by her waist and pulled her closer. "No, Ines, that's not happening. I don't want to go back to how things were."

"Did you know? My dad was once my grandfather's favorite student. He was from a humble background, and at first, my grandparents didn't agree to them being together. They knew my mom was too proud, not someone who could tolerate anything, easily hurt. It was not until three years ago when my grandparents' health deteriorated, and my aunt took me to see them that I learned from them. The reason they opposed their relationship was not just because of his background. The most fatal reason was that the man didn't have pure intentions towards her. They were afraid my mother would fall too deeply in love and ultimately get hurt."

Ethan listened quietly as Ines paused before continuing, "Sure enough, she chose to end her life by suicide after learning that he had cheated on her after their marriage. I saw in her diary her naive love during her teenage years, and the growing distance between them after marriage. She cried because of his indifference, and finally lost control completely when his mistress and daughter came to her door. That man didn't even know that his wife had unknowingly developed depression. For six years, as her husband, he didn't notice at all. If he had discovered it earlier, maybe things wouldn't have ended like this."

Ines felt a chill at the corner of her eyes and realized that tears had unknowingly fallen. She didn't know what was happening to her.

Back in B City, she could stay calm, even treating the events recorded in the diary as just a sad story. But everything changed when she got to A City. She seemed to have lost control over her emotions. Seeing Hunter and Shirley, the rage from the bottom of her heart surged like a tidal wave, quickly drowning her. The hurtful words just slipped out of her mouth, and she found herself wanting to laugh at their pain, feeling an unprecedented relief.

For a moment, she even had the illusion that maybe the car accident seven years ago was really her doing.

Ethan leaned down to gently kiss the tears off Ines's face. "Izzy, don't do this. You can't doubt me because of what happened to your parents. We're not them. It won't end like that for us. Have some faith in me, give it a chance, okay?"

Regarding Ines's mother's suicide, he only knew the basics, but not the details. He certainly didn't know that the main reason for her suicide was six years of depression.

Ines didn't respond, just buried her face in Ethan's chest, sobbing silently. Soon, Ethan felt a wet spot on his chest.

Ethan didn't force her. He believed that one day he could help her move past the shadow of her parents. He gently patted her back, his eyes full of compassion.

Not until he felt the person in his arms stop crying did Ethan speak again. "One night, I took a call for you. It was him. I know you don't want anything to do with the Galeana family anymore, so I didn't tell you, and I blocked his number."

Knowing Ines didn't like Hunter, Ethan used 'him' instead.

Ines nodded, indicating that she understood. She didn't feel repulsed by Ethan's actions, but rather relieved.