After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 277

Ethan thought she’d be over the moon when he suggested taking her back to The Adams Estate. He never expected her to turn him down. The way she let it go, so calm and final, left him rattled. Was she really ready to give up on him?

“I just feel better handling things myself,” Isabella said, her tone cool and even. “Laura’s got her own deadlines. You should go alone. Your family never really accepted me anyway. If I go back, I’ll just get the cold shoulder. Your grandma’s always been kind, but she’s not in charge anymore. She can’t stand up for me.”

If even one or two people there had genuinely welcomed her, Isabella might have been willing to visit Stephanie. But only Stephanie ever treated her kindly. The woman running the estate now was Jennifer, and nobody hated her more. All of Ethan’s cousins who hadn’t found jobs were still living at The Adams Estate, and not one of them liked her. Going back would only mean more silent standoffs and petty drama. Why put herself through that?

“You’re my wife,” Ethan insisted, his voice full of stubborn pride. “I’ll protect you. Nobody would dare treat you badly.”

She shot him a look. “Really? Where was all that protection when Sophia and your fan club showed up at our door? You left me to deal with them on my own.”

Ethan had nothing to say to that. He glanced at her, taking in her profile as she drove. She really was beautiful. Even just the way the light touched her cheek made his chest ache.

“Isabella,” he said quietly, “do you really not love me anymore?”

She kept her eyes on the road. “Weren’t you the one who told me not to ask you for love?”

There wasn’t a comeback for that.

“Love is supposed to go both ways, Ethan. Marriage takes work from both sides. I tried so hard, for so long. Doing it alone just wore me down. I can’t keep pouring myself into something that only drains me.”

He started to say something, but nothing came out. All he could feel was the distance between them getting wider.

“You really aren’t coming back with me?” he tried one more time.

She blinked, thinking she must have misheard. This was the same Ethan who always claimed he loved Natalie more than anything, and now he wanted a kiss from her?

Ethan’s ears turned red. He’d never felt more awkward, but he forced himself to keep talking. “We’re married, Isabella. You driving me to work shows how close we are, and if you kissed me, it would look even better. Remember what I said before about acting like a real couple in public? Normal married people do stuff like this.”

Isabella laughed. “This isn’t some family party. Who do you think we’re performing for at your office?” She gave him a teasing once-over and smirked. “Besides, if I did kiss you, you wouldn’t even react. I keep saying you’re hopeless, but you won’t admit it.”

“Isabella!” Ethan sputtered, his ears blazing now.

She couldn’t help but laugh for real this time. Watching him get so flustered was actually kind of adorable. For all his bravado, Ethan was still so innocent when it came to women. It was almost sweet, seeing how he’d stayed loyal to Natalie all these years.