“Hate me if you want. If I can’t have your love, I’ll settle for your hate. At least then you won’t forget me.”
Ethan was relentless. No matter where she turned, he was right there, chasing after her, refusing to let her go. He caught her lips in a fierce kiss, desperate and wild. She bit his tongue, hard enough to taste blood, and he let go for just a moment before pulling her back in.
A kiss wasn’t enough. He wanted more. But as his hand moved to her collar, he froze. She was crying, tears streaming down her face.
Pain stabbed through Ethan’s chest. He slowly loosened his grip on her wrists and let her go.
Suddenly lost, he reached out, trying to wipe away her tears. “Isabella, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s all my fault. Yell at me, hit me, whatever you need. Just please, don’t cry. Seeing you cry... it’s like someone’s slicing into my heart.”
Isabella shoved him away, her voice trembling with anger. “Ethan, what else do you know how to do except hurt me? Even now, you don’t understand what you’ve done wrong. You don’t even know what you want.”
“You don’t love me. You just feel guilty because of that dream. You think you owe me.”
“This is guilt, not love. The person you’ve always loved is Natalie. It’s never been me.”
“Stop saying these things to me. Stop touching me. Once we get the divorce papers, let’s just stay out of each other’s lives forever.”
“Unlock the door. I want to get out.”
Ethan’s voice was frantic, pleading. “It’s not like that, Isabella. I swear, it’s not. Yes, I feel guilty, I blame myself, but I do care about you. I can’t just let everything end like this. Even if you hate me right now, I’m going to make it up to you. I’ll win you back.”
He ignored her struggles and pulled her into his arms again, holding her so tightly it was almost suffocating. Only with her close did he feel any sense of peace, like she was still his.
“Isabella, promise me we won’t just disappear from each other’s lives.”
She stayed silent.
If she could, she truly wished she’d never have to see him again.
Her phone kept ringing.
Now that Isabella didn’t love him anymore, he was the one left behind.
He unlocked the door. Isabella stepped out.
The moment she was free, she ran, as if something terrible was chasing her down.
Watching her go, Ethan slammed his fist into the car seat, frustration boiling over.
He had messed it up again.
He just wanted to make things right, to show her he cared, but everything fell apart.
He slapped himself, hard, the sting nothing compared to the ache in his chest.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan)
Author, please get your characters names right. You always messing them up!...
I wish Harold will win Isabella's heart. I was so sad when Isabela was taken for granted coldly and cruelly by her supposed to be husband, and trapped,mocked and humiliated non stop by Natalie. This was so cruel, both don't deserve Isabela' forgiveness I wish for a happy ending between Isabela and Harold, he has the right to be happy after the long wait....
Frankly, the story initially was going quite good and the pacing was just right. unfortunately after Ethan got the dream of his past life, the story has been going in circles. Ethan's spouting the same nonsense every time he sees Isabella, they both have same conversations over and over. The authors monologue too has been the same for almost 400 chapters. Irrespective of which character the writing the just a repetition of what someone had gone through in the past and what made a certain character feel the emotions. York got introduced in 800 chapters yet nothing significant happened till date. Isabella is soft with Harold and kind of disgusted with Ethan, yet it is not entirely clear with whom she might end up. If she stays single i am fine with it but the story is clearly about Isabella and Ethan so almost 1000 chapters without seeing any progress in their relationship is frustrating. Except for being blindly in love and few aggressive instances with Isabella, Ethan actually isnt a bad person so i am fine if he can win her back. Even though Harold is coming off as a good second lead, i am somehow unable to warm upto him. Even the bad people in the story are not really facing any real consequences. I hate Jackson for his hypocrisy. I hate Jordan and Natalie for their self-righteouness and selfishness. I also hate Deborah, except when she is handing it out to Natalie. I am almost on the verge of dropping this story....
Why are they acting like kids 🤣😭...
Ethan is actually not that bad if we take out his blind love for Natalie...