After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 698

What was Ethan doing here?

Isabella pressed her fingers to her aching temples. Drinking always did this to her. Every time she overdid it, she woke up with a splitting headache. She made a mental note to cut back on alcohol next time.

She sat up slowly, relieved to see she was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. At least nothing had happened while she was passed out. Sometimes Ethan’s unpredictability scared her, and she always worried he might cross a line when she was most vulnerable. Thank God he hadn’t tried anything while she was drunk.

The movement in the bed must have caught Ethan’s attention. He turned and noticed she was awake. He walked over quickly and reached out as if to help her.

“I’m fine. I don’t need help.” Isabella waved him off, her voice a little sharper than she intended.

Ethan pulled back his hand and watched her, his dark eyes heavy with emotion. He sat down at the edge of the bed, his gaze quietly intense. Isabella’s head throbbed too much for her to try reading into whatever he was feeling.

She squinted at him. “Why are you even here? Didn’t you give me back all your keys?”

Ethan let out a long sigh. “Do you remember anything from last night? You drank a ton, and you went straight for the hard stuff. I can’t tell if you were drowning your sorrows because you missed me or celebrating because you finally got rid of me.”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “Obviously, I was celebrating. I invited my friends over so I could toast to my newfound freedom.” She paused, her annoyance giving way to confusion. “So, what actually happened last night? And why are you in my house?”

“I climbed over the backyard fence,” Ethan said. “The alarm went off in the middle of the night. Three guys broke in through the back. I heard the alarm and brought my bodyguards over. We caught them.”

Isabella stared at him, stunned. “Wait. People broke in? Through the backyard? That wall is taller than the front. Anyone who can scale it must be seriously skilled.”

“Did they steal anything?” she asked.

“Yeah. There were only three of them. No way they were getting away when I brought seven or eight guys with me.”

She thought for a second. “What about Laura and the others? Are they okay?”

Isabella couldn’t remember a thing after she started drinking. She’d slept like a rock, even dreamed something nice.

“Laura got drunk too. Jesse came over and took her home. Linda was the only one who didn’t drink, so she went home early. Barbara stayed to watch over you.”

“Is Barbara alright? She didn’t get hurt, did she?”

Ethan took a moment before answering. “She’s totally fine. She’s braver than most people I know. One of the guys tried to get in through the roof, but Barbara spotted him right away. She knocked his hook off and he fell, hurt himself pretty bad. She even called Harold—he’s got a place nearby—and he showed up with his own security team.”