The Road Back to You

Ethan hadn't planned for things to go this way.

He had spent the last few days watching from a distance, staying in the shadows, never stepping too close. He told himself he just needed to see her, to know she was happy, to confirm that she had truly moved on. But deep down, he knew it was a lie. Every second he spent near her world only made him crave more.

And then, tonight happened.

Ethan had told himself he wouldn't get close. That he'd just watch from a distance... just one last time.

But then he heard them.

It was late, the street dimly lit by flickering lamps, and Violet was leaving her office alone. She had no idea that someone was watching her... not him, and certainly not the group of men lurking on the other side of the road.

Ethan had been leaning against the shadows of a building, his hands shoved into his pockets, his chest tightening at the sight of her. She moved with purpose, the way she always did, her hair bouncing slightly with every step. It had been years, but she still carried that same energy, that same quiet fire that had once burned through him.

Then, the voices started.

"Damn, look at her."

"Alone at this hour? Maybe she needs some company."

A slow, dangerous rage unfurled inside Ethan.

They had no idea who she was. They had no idea that the woman they were talking about was someone untouchable... someone sacred.

He should've walked away. He should've let it go.

But Ethan had never been the kind of man who could ignore things like this, especially when it came to her. Before he could think, his feet were already moving. He crossed the street, his pulse thundering, jaw clenched tight.

"Say that again," he said, his voice low, lethal.

The men turned, sizing him up. "What's your problem, man?" one of them smirked. 

Ethan didn't answer. His blood was already boiling. His fists already tightening.

The first punch landed before he could even register throwing it.

Then, chaos.

Someone grabbed his jacket, yanking him back before slamming a fist into his ribs. Pain exploded through him, but he didn't stop. He fought back, taking down the first guy, then the second. But there were too many of them. Rough hands grabbed him, punching, kicking... knuckles cracking against his jaw, his ribs.

And then...

Glass shattered. They threw him. Ethan barely had time to register the impact before his back crashed through the display window of a closed shop. The jagged shards tore into him, slicing through skin as he hit the cold floor inside.

The pain was instant. Sharp. Blinding.

He groaned, his vision swimming, his body refusing to move the way he wanted it to. He barely managed to push himself up, dragging his battered body toward the nearest brick wall. His breath was ragged, his limbs trembling from the brutal beating.

And then, through the haze, he heard footsteps.

Soft. Rushed. Familiar.

He looked up just in time to see her.

Violet.

Her wide, horrified eyes met his, and for the first time in years, Ethan felt something other than pain.

He felt home.

On the other side, Violet spent the next few days on edge, every moment charged with an unbearable anticipation she didn't want to acknowledge. Everywhere she went, she felt eyes on her, a presence that never quite materialized but always lingered just outside her reach. She told herself she was imagining it. That it was her mind playing cruel tricks on her, weaving ghosts out of memories.

But then it happened.

One evening, after an exhausting day at the gallery, Violet decided to walk home alone, needing space to clear her head. The night was quiet, the streets illuminated by flickering streetlights. She had just rounded a corner when a sudden crash rang out... a shattering of glass followed by a strangled groan.

Her heart jumped into her throat. She turned toward the alley beside the building and froze.

A man was slumped against the brick wall, his white shirt stained deep red. A broken bottle lay at his feet, the jagged edge glistening with something dark and wet. His head was tilted down, his breathing ragged and uneven.

Instinct kicked in. Violet rushed forward before she even processed what she was doing, her hands reaching for the stranger—

But the moment she touched him, he looked up.

And her world tilted on its axis.

Ethan.

His face was pale, his usually sharp eyes glazed over with pain. He tried to speak, but his body sagged, unable to hold itself upright. Violet caught him just in time, her hands trembling as she gripped his arms.

He was hurt. Badly.

"Ethan... what the hell happened?" her mind raced as she struggled to hold him up. 

He blinked at her slowly, his lips parting as if to say something. Then, just before consciousness left him, she barely heard the words he managed to whisper:

"I—I tried… but I couldn't stay away."

And then, he collapsed against her.

Violet could feel the warmth of his blood seeping through her fingers as she clutched onto Ethan, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. His weight was heavy against her, his breaths shallow and uneven. She shook him slightly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ethan?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, thick with panic. "Ethan, stay with me!"

His head lolled slightly, his lashes fluttering as he tried to open his eyes. The moment their gazes met, something flickered across his bruised face... relief? Pain? Or was it something far deeper, something she wasn't ready to name?

Frantic, she reached for her phone, but her hands were shaking so badly she could barely press the numbers. Her mind screamed at her to keep it together. This wasn't the time to fall apart.

When the call connected, she barely registered what she was saying to the emergency responder. Everything blurred around her, the only thing in focus was Ethan... his uneven breaths, the way his fingers weakly twitched as if reaching for her, and the crimson staining the ground beneath him.

Time moved sluggishly, stretching unbearably as she waited for help to arrive.

"Ethan, stay with me. Please… Just stay," she pressed her hands to his cheeks, trying to keep him awake. 

His lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes locked onto hers with something unreadable... something that sent a shiver down her spine.

Then, his body went limp in her arms.

Violet barely had a second to react before the distant sound of sirens pierced through the night. Red and blue lights flashed in the far distance, getting closer with each passing second. She tightened her hold on Ethan, panic and relief warring inside her.

Help was coming.

And just like that, the night swallowed them whole.