After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 215

“Am I really that cold?” Ethan asked, genuinely surprised.

He honestly never saw himself that way.

“You’re not ice cold, but you do make it hard for people to get close,” she replied.

Ethan’s expression grew even darker. “But you used to like me,” he mumbled, almost defensively.

She shrugged, her voice calm. “Yeah, I did. I used to be crazy about you. But you told me you’d never love me back. You told me to stop, to just be your wife in name only. You promised me a comfortable life, said I could have whatever I wanted, except for love.”

She paused, her eyes steady. “So I thought it over. I figured money and comfort were better than chasing love that was never going to happen. Love can’t pay the bills. It doesn’t fill your wallet. Sometimes, you just have to be practical.”

She looked at him, almost challenging. “So? Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”

Ethan couldn’t find the words to answer. He opened his mouth, closed it, tried again, and just gave up.

This was what he’d asked for. But now, seeing her pull away, watching her let go of the love she once had for him, it left a strange, empty ache in his chest.

“Isabella, I…”

She reached out, pinched his cheek gently, then let go and stood up. “Don’t get greedy, Ethan,” she said quietly. “Wanting too much can leave you with nothing.”

Just then, her attention shifted. “Jesse.”

“Absolutely,” both men replied, grinning.

They’d already liked the short series project Isabella was pitching, but finding out she was Mrs. Adams made them even more excited to work with her. Whether or not Isabella had found her place in the Adams family, it didn’t matter. She was the woman Ethan had chosen, and that meant she’d always have his support. For all they knew, Ethan himself might be backing her project. Working with Isabella was a win for everyone. Plus, partnering with her was a chance to build a relationship with Ethan, too. Even if they were in different industries now, business could change in an instant. Having a connection with someone like Ethan Adams was never a bad thing.

“Let’s head upstairs,” Jesse said, glancing around at the people starting to stare.

“I’ll wait here for Laura,” Isabella said, then turned to Ethan with a sweet, practiced smile. “Honey, could you take care of our guests for a bit?”

She was playing her part in front of everyone.

The word “honey” clearly caught Ethan off guard, but he recovered quickly, his eyes flickering. “Sure,” he replied, just as smoothly. He and Jesse led the two executives toward the elevator, chatting as they went.