She Became His World by Turning Me Into the Villain novel Chapter 5

**Married by Mistake, Loved by Fate — by L. Winters**

**Chapter 5**

Seeing Ethan again didn’t ignite any familiar sparks within me. In fact, it felt almost surreal, like I was looking at a ghost from my past—one that had lost its power to haunt me.

His appearance was strikingly similar to how I remembered him, yet there was a maturity to him now that five years had carefully sculpted. The boyish charm had been replaced by a more composed, adult demeanor, a calmness that seemed to settle around him like an invisible cloak.

When his eyes locked onto mine, disbelief washed over his face, a mix of surprise and confusion. “Nora? Is that really you?” he stammered, as if he were trying to reconcile the girl from his memories with the woman standing before him.

A smile crept onto my lips, and I replied, “Is that a problem?” I could sense the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

Then, almost instinctively, I slapped my forehead lightly, as if a sudden realization had struck me like a bolt of lightning. “Oh right! I completely forgot. You’ve been so preoccupied these past few years—immersed in school, swept up in dating, and planning for your wedding. Yet somehow, amidst all that busyness, you never found a moment to visit my mom, not even once, while she’s been lying in that hospital bed all these years.”

Back then, I had struggled to comprehend his choices; even if he had fallen for Summer, my parents had always treated him with kindness and respect. They often reminded me how Ethan had faced his own challenges and urged me to look after him whenever I could. But when my mother ended up confined to that hospital bed, he never made an appearance, not even a fleeting visit.

Ethan remained rooted to the spot, his expression a mixture of shock and regret. It was then that my gaze fell upon the painting he had come here to purchase, and I swiftly slid it back into the cabinet. “Sorry,” I said, my voice firm. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not selling it.”

“My paintings should belong to those who truly appreciate beauty, and you, Ethan, are not one of them,” I declared, my words sharper than I intended.

Before I could take a breath, he blurted out, flustered, “Nora! It’s been years, and you’re still the same.”

“Stop pretending to be tough, okay? Your mom still needs money for her treatment. I’ll pay double,” I countered, my resolve hardening.

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