After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 83

Ethan froze, his whole body turning rigid. His eyes were wide as he stared at the face that was suddenly so close, he could feel her breath.

Isabella Lane wasn’t the type to back down. She pressed her lips to his, bold and unafraid, but then they were just stuck there, staring at each other, neither willing to look away. His lips were thin, the kind people always said belonged to men who couldn’t love. To her, that was true. He never spared her a drop of affection. But Natalie Gates? He had nothing but devotion for her.

Suddenly, Isabella bit down hard on his lip, then stepped back and stood tall. “Well, if you’ve got the flu, I’ve got it now too. Happy?” She wiped her mouth, trying to sound tough, but her voice shook just a little.

The pain was sharp, hot. Ethan touched his lip and saw blood on his fingers. She had actually broken the skin. He shot to his feet, anger boiling over.

“Isabella Lane!” His voice was low, cold. “You bit me. You actually drew blood.”

It hurt like hell and, honestly, he was mortified. He had never even kissed a woman before. What just happened wasn’t really a kiss, but their lips had touched. It counted, didn’t it? And Isabella had been the one to do it, not Natalie, the woman he’d adored for so many years. He felt humiliated and furious.

How could Isabella just do that? It felt more like he’d been attacked than kissed. Did she even know how to kiss someone?

“Yeah, I bit you,” Isabella shot back. “Maybe you shouldn’t talk to people like they’re nothing. So Natalie’s health is everything, and mine doesn’t matter? I didn’t make you sick. So it’s fine if you pass it to me, but not her? Is she pregnant or something? Is it even yours?”

“Isabella, what are you even saying? There’s nothing between me and Natalie,” Ethan snapped. Of course the baby wasn’t his.

Money. It was always about the money.

“You’ve changed, Isabella. You don’t care about me. You don’t love me anymore.” His voice was tight, hurt leaking through the anger.

Isabella let out a laugh that was all bitterness. She looked at him, her eyes shining with something he couldn’t quite name. “If I loved you, would it matter? Would you ever love me back?”

“I told you before,” Ethan said, his tone flat. “I can give you the title of Mrs. Adams. I can give you a life of luxury. But I can’t give you love. We’re just married on paper. I love Natalie. My heart doesn’t have room for anyone else. So don’t waste your time hoping for more.”