Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts novel Chapter 414

"You're making some sense, and I get that you still reckon Ethan can't get over Leila, but we're seeing things from different angles. I value the present more, and whether the person in front of me is genuine. Can Ethan's kindness towards you be easily dismissed? You guys have always been the couple I envy. I too once refused to date or marry because of a man, but I found that persistence meaningless. After all these years, it's not that I'm still in love with him, but rather that I can't let go of the time I invested in him."

She had seen them through all this, and it was all real.

"I'm not denying his kindness towards me."

"Izzy, I just want to ask you one thing. When you're with Ethan, do you often think about Leila?"

Ines shook her head, "No, only when others keep bringing it up, it annoys me."

"That's right, you're not as bothered by Leila's existence as you think. There are many couples like you out there, and it's not just you. Your biggest issue is having a Silvia who keeps hypnotizing you about it. You clearly know it's all Silvia's scheme, so why are you arguing with Ethan?" Phoebe was an outsider, so she often saw things more clearly than Ines.

Ines bit her lip in silence. Phoebe was making sense. Her feelings about Leila were indeed provoked by Silvia's constant instigation.

After a while, Ines said, "Phoebe, there's something I haven't told you. Ethan secretly checked the DNA of me, Emma, and Silvia behind my back. This is what I can't accept the most. It makes me wonder if he still has expectations for someone who's already gone."

Phoebe felt puzzled, "Why would he do that?"

Ines shook her head, "I'm not entirely sure. When we first got married, Aaron told me that I was somewhat similar to Leila. Not in appearance, but in character and some habits. But Ethan and I got married after seeing each other only once. He said he didn't see me as someone else, so I believed him. But not long ago, we went out for a meal. A stranger, who was drunk and had only seen me once, mistook me for Leila. Maybe that's what made Ethan suspicious, so he decided to do a DNA test."

Phoebe listened carefully to Ines' words. She found that Ines actually saw everything quite clearly, but she just couldn't get past her own hurdle. However, this reminded her of the time she ran into Ethan at the hospital a few days ago. He asked her some strange questions, probably because he was suspicious. Given this situation, Phoebe naturally wouldn't disclose these things to Ines. She smiled and said, "Izzy, don't you think you're overreacting a bit? Ethan doing a DNA test doesn't necessarily mean he had expectations. I think he was worried about your connection with Leila and did it for peace of mind."

"That's what Ethan said. He said it was to ease his mind."

"Exactly, that's just like Ethan. He doesn't like to have doubts."

"He dreamt of Leila and even called out her name in his sleep." Ines' tone was somewhat heavy.

"Well, Izzy, I think that's what you're really worried about, huh?" Ines remained silent, and Phoebe gently patted her shoulder. "Okay, take a few days to rest and then have a thorough talk with Ethan. Dreams depend on what you dream about. Ethan calling out Leila's name doesn't mean he can't forget her. The main reason you're upset is because Ethan had a deceased ex-girlfriend, which you knew long ago. Isn't it a bit late to be upset about it now? Are you thinking about divorcing Ethan?"