Twisted Vows, Hidden Desire

Claire stepped into her apartment, the soft click of the door behind her echoing through the quiet space. She leaned against it for a moment, eyes closed, letting out a long, weary sigh. The day had drained her in more ways than one.

Her mind replayed the conversation she'd had with Amelia at work. Every word. Every glance. Every emotion. She felt torn — anger, confusion, and something she hated to admit — understanding.

Dropping her bag on the small table near the door, Claire kicked off her heels, the cool wooden floor soothing her aching feet. She made her way to the living room, flopping onto the couch with a heavy thud. Her eyes drifted to her phone lying on the coffee table. It had been vibrating all day with calls and messages she'd deliberately ignored.

But tonight felt different.

Her gaze lingered on the phone. Her fingers twitched with hesitation. Then, before she could overthink it, she grabbed it and scrolled to his name.

Ethan.

Her heart clenched at the sight of it. Her thumb hovered over the call button, doubt whispering in her mind. Don't do it. Protect yourself. But the ache in her chest wouldn't let her be.

With a sharp breath, she tapped the call button and pressed the phone to her ear. It rang once. Twice.

"Claire?" Ethan's voice came through instantly, laced with surprise and a flicker of hope.

She squeezed her eyes shut, lips trembling. Her breath came shallow at first, her heart beating like a drum. "Yeah... it's me."

"Claire." His tone shifted, softer now, as if her name itself carried the weight of his guilt. "Thank you for calling. I've been trying to reach you."

"I know," she said flatly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I just... needed space."

"I understand," he said quickly. "I get it, Claire. I do."

Silence filled the space between them, thick but not unbearable. Claire sat up, drawing her knees to her chest. Her voice was quieter this time. "Amelia came to see me."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "She told me she would," Ethan admitted, his voice tinged with caution.

Claire's eyes narrowed. "So, you knew?"

"Yeah," he muttered, guilt thick in his tone. "But I didn't tell her to do it, I swear. She did it on her own."

Claire leaned her head back against the couch, letting out a dry laugh. "She's braver than you."

"Yeah," he agreed softly. "She is."

Another pause, but this one felt different. Lighter. Less tense.

"Claire, I'm sorry," Ethan said, his voice cracking just a little. "I'm so, so sorry."

Her eyes filled with tears at those words, her chest tightening. She bit her bottom lip to hold back the flood. "Sorry for what, Ethan? For breaking my heart? For letting your parents dictate your life?" Her voice wavered with every word. "Or for making me believe we had a future?"

"All of it," he said, his voice thick with regret. "I never wanted to hurt you, Claire. You have to know that."

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. "But you did, Ethan. You did." Her voice cracked, and she hated how small she sounded. "I loved you, Ethan. I gave you everything."

"I know," he whispered, his voice filled with anguish. "I know, Claire. And I loved you too. I still do."

Her breath hitched at those words, her heart twisting with the cruel irony of it all. "Then why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you love me, why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm not strong enough," he admitted, his voice hollow. "I'm not brave like you. I'm trapped in this, Claire. My parents—" He stopped himself, letting out a bitter breath. "I don't have a choice."

"You do have a choice, Ethan!" she snapped, anger flaring up. "You always have a choice. But you're too afraid to make it."

Her words hung in the air like an echo, each one cutting into him. She could hear him breathing on the other end, ragged and uneven.

"You're right," he muttered after a moment. "You're absolutely right. I'm a coward."

Her anger dimmed, but the sadness remained. Her voice was softer now, like an exhausted flame. "You don't have to be."

Silence stretched between them again, longer this time. Claire wiped her face with the sleeve of her blouse, her eyes still glassy with tears.

"I miss you," Ethan finally said, his voice small, like a child admitting a secret. "I miss everything about you, Claire."

Her throat tightened, and she hated how much her heart still ached for him. "You miss me, but you're letting me go," she said with quiet resolve. "You miss me, but you're marrying someone else."

Ethan's breathing grew heavier, and she knew he was fighting back tears of his own. "I'm sorry," he choked out, the pain in his voice so raw it nearly broke her. "I'm so, so sorry."

Claire shook her head, tears spilling down again. "Sorry won't change anything, Ethan. Sorry won't undo this mess." Her voice cracked as she took in a shaky breath. "I thought we were supposed to be stronger than this."

"We were," he whispered, barely audible. "But I failed us."

Her heart broke all over again. She pressed her hand against her chest as if it could stop the ache. "Yeah," she whispered back. "You did."

Another silence. This one felt final. Like a door slowly closing.

"Goodbye, Ethan," Claire said, her voice steady this time. No cracks. No trembles. Just finality.

"Claire, wait—" his voice was frantic, desperate.

"No," she said firmly, wiping away the last of her tears. "No more waiting, Ethan. I've waited enough."

She ended the call, her thumb pressing the red button harder than necessary. The silence that followed was deafening. Her phone lay in her lap, her gaze locked on it as if it might light up again. But it didn't.

Her chest felt hollow. Empty but strangely free. She drew in a shaky breath and exhaled slowly. She'd been holding on for so long, thinking if she held tight enough, she could keep him.

But some things aren't meant to be held.

Her father's words from earlier echoed in her mind: "If his parents don't want you, then maybe he doesn't deserve you."

And for the first time, she believed it.

Claire stood up, wiped her face one last time, and walked to her bedroom. Tomorrow, she decided, she would stop waiting. For Ethan. For apologies. For anything that didn't serve her peace.