Ethan and Sasha walked through the park which was quiet and peaceful, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and the flickering of distant streetlights. The rustling of leaves in the cool breeze added to the serene atmosphere, creating a sense of calm that enveloped them both.
Ethan started, "I am sorry."
"Didn't you already say that?" she asked, her fingers intertwining with his.
The memory of Simon's lecture on relationships still lingered in Ethan's mind, and it made him a bit emotional. After getting out of jail and settling together with Simon's group, he had become a ladies' man, going from one woman to another, drowning himself in alcohol to forget the emptiness in his heart. But Simon had seen right through him and had decided to confront him.
"Come on, man, why do you have to do this to yourself?" Simon had asked, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"What do you mean?" Ethan said, his words slurring together.
"You know exactly what I mean. You go around playing with women's hearts, and for what? Just to feel a fleeting sense of pleasure?"
Ethan had felt a pang of guilt and shame wash over him, but he couldn't let Simon see it. So he had lashed out instead. "What about you, huh? You're not exactly a saint either!"
At that moment, Andre and Henry had chimed in, their drunken words slurring together. "Yeah, Simon, don't act like you're better than us. Your wife left you, remember?"
Simon had taken a deep breath, and for a moment, Ethan had thought he was going to hit them. But instead, Simon had looked at them with a sad smile on his face.
"You're right. My marriage fell apart, and it was my fault. But I've learned from it, and I want you all to learn from my mistakes too. Love is a tricky thing, and it can be hard to navigate. But the key is communication. Always communicate, no matter how hard it may seem. I am saying this because you all are like sons to me."
That had been the moment when Ethan had broken down in tears, unable to contain the emotions that were bubbling up inside him. Simon had turned to him and smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I know you blame yourself for what happened with Amelia. But it's not all on you. You're a good man, Ethan. And I have faith that you'll find love again. And when you do, remember what I told you. Always communicate."
In the present, Ethan gazed at the night sky. The clouds had parted and he could see the glowing moon. He muttered, "Someone had once told me this. Communication is the lifeline of any relationship; without it, the connection dies."
Sasha nodded and her eyes softened as she took in his words.
Ethan sighed and said, "I want to tell you why and what happened when I called you back then. This might sound like an excuse but I want to tell you my side of things. And then hear yours."
"Mmh." Sasha let out a smile. "I'll listen to you and then honestly tell you all the things I felt."
Ethan took a deep breath. "When you called me, it was clear that you were happy. At that time… I was about to lie to you. But then my mind went blank and I told you the truth in the worst way possible."
eαglesnᴏνel Ethan confided in Sasha about his past with Amelia, but he didn't tell her the whole truth. He changed the story and said that Amelia was just a childhood crush, when in reality, she meant much more to him. He wasn't trying to hide anything from Sasha, he just felt insecure about his past.
Ethan told Sasha that one lie ruined everything with Amelia. It was just one mistake, but it caused their relationship to fall apart. There were some signs of trouble along the way, but they both missed them.
As they sat on a bench together, Ethan continued to open up to Sasha. "Looking back, I wish I had communicated more with her. I didn't realize that the small problems I was facing would build up and eventually become the reason for our separation."
He let out a deep sigh as he gazed up at the bright moon. "I'm sorry," he said.
With her palms on the bench, Sasha looked ahead and was silent for a few moments. She said, "if this were a few hours ago, I would have thought that you are making up a story just to gain my sympathy. Because I was angry and felt hurt by your words.
You had clearly mentioned this before at the hospital. Still I didn't expect you to cruelly tell me that you were having sex with another woman."
Ethan turned his gaze towards Sasha's profile as she continued speaking. "I actually thought about having a one-night stand with someone else," she confessed. "I mean, we're not in a committed relationship, so I figured it wouldn't be cheating. But when I was out at the bar, and this guy was hitting on me, all I could think about was you.
It made me so uncomfortable, and I felt terrible. It's like I'll always have feelings for you, but they won't be returned."
Ethan's heart sank as he listened to Sasha's words. The thought of her being with someone else made him feel sick to his stomach. He took a deep breath and reached out to hold her hand, hoping to comfort her in some small way.
He was a hypocrite, and he knew it. Normally, he did not mind being one, but this time he felt genuine regret. This time, both of them felt terrible because of his actions.
Ethan bit his lips. What should he say to her now? Promise her to not do it again? He was currently affected by something and didn't even know when he would go insane. And even when he was normal, he didn't trust himself.
Just then, Sasha's face lit up with a genuine smile, her eyes filled with warmth as she turned to look at Ethan. "But that was then, and this is now," she said, her voice soft and reassuring.
"I know now how much I love you, and how much I'm willing to wait for you. I've realized that no one is perfect, and I understand that the key to a successful relationship is communication. We should accept each other's flaws and work towards being better together."
She continued, "And you know what? I've seen you grow since that time. You've become more open, more willing to share your thoughts and feelings with me. It's not easy to change, but you've shown that you're willing to put in the effort. That means a lot to me."
Emotions overwhelmed Ethan as he gazed at Sasha. How could anyone be so kind and understanding? He gently placed his hand on her cheek and whispered, "I really wish that the feeling that I am having right now is not false."
