THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Over the next few days, Elena started spending more and more time with Ethan.

At first, it seemed innocent enough. During lunch breaks at work, she would text him asking if he wanted to meet up at the little café down the street.

When it was time to leave the office, she would call and ask if he could pick her up instead of taking her usual taxi home. Small things that could easily be explained as friendship.

But as the days went on, everyone started to notice the pattern. Elena and Ethan were always together, always talking, always finding excuses to be in the same room.

They would sit close together during dinner, their heads bent toward each other as they spoke in low voices that excluded everyone else.

Mia noticed, of course, but she didn’t think much of it at first. She knew Elena was still grieving for Mose in the most complicated way possible – mourning someone who was both dead and alive, lost and found, gone and yet still breathing somewhere she could see, but couldn’t reach him.

Mia assumed Elena was just looking for a friend who could distract her from the pain. Someone who didn’t remind her of everything she had lost. She thought Elena was being careful not to burden her with too much sadness, so she was turning to Ethan for companionship instead..

It seemed natural enough. Ethan was kind and patient, and he had been nothing but supportive through everything that had happened.

If Elena needed someone to talk to who wasn’t carrying their own mountain of grief, Mia was glad she had found that in him.

So Mia didn’t pay more attention to it. She figured Elena was entitled to whatever friendship helped her get through the days.

One evening, Elena asked Ethan if he wanted to go out for dinner. Just the two of them, she said. Somewhere nice and quiet where they could talk properly.

Ethan agreed, though something in her tone made him curious. There was a nervous energy about Elena lately, like she was building up to something important but hadn’t found the courage to say it yet.

They went to a small Italian restaurant across town, the kind of place with dim lighting and candles on every table.

As they were waiting for dessert, Ethan decided to address what had been on his mind for days.

“Elena, can I ask you something?”

She looked up from her meal “Of course.”

“You’ve been different lately. More… I don’t know how to put it. Are you spending time with me because you need someone to take your mind off Mose? Because you need a distraction?”

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139 ELENA MA IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

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Elena was quiet for a long moment, stirring her coffee slowly. When she finally looked up at him, there was something new in her eyes. Something that made Ethan’s heart beat a little faster.

“At first, maybe,” she said trying to sound convincing. “But it’s not just that anymore. I’m starting to feel something different when I’m with you. Something I didn’t expect.”

Ethan stared at her, speechless. He had hoped, maybe even dreamed that Elena might someday see him as more than just a friend. But he had never actually believed it would happen.

“What are you saying?” he asked quietly.

“I’m saying I want us to try. To see where this goes. I want to start a relationship with you, Ethan.”

The words hung in the air between them. Ethan felt his pulse racing, but he also felt a knot of worry forming in his stomach.

“Elena, I… I care about you so much. You know that. But I need to know that you’re sure about this. That you’re not just running from your feelings for Mose.”

“I’m sure,” Elena said, reaching across the table to take his hand. “I know it might seem sudden, but I’ve been thinking about this for weeks. You make me feel safe. You make me feel like maybe I can be happy again.”

Ethan wanted to believe her. He wanted it so badly that it scared him.

“Have you talked to Mia about this?” he asked.

Elena’s face fell slightly. “No. I don’t know how she would react. I don’t know what she would think about me moving on so quickly.”

“Elena, Mia is your best friend. And she’s my sister. Don’t you think she deserves to know how we feel?”

“I know. I want to tell her. I just need to figure out how.”

Ethan squeezed her hand gently. Every instinct told him this was moving too fast, that Elena wasn’t ready, that he was setting himself up for heartbreak.

But looking into her eyes, seeing the hope there, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

“Okay,” he said. “But promise me you’ll talk to Mia soon. I don’t want us to start something built on secrets.”

“I promise,” Elena said, smiling for the first time all evening. “I’ll tell her tomorrow.”

The next day was Saturday, and the men had gone out to play golf together. Stefan thought it would be good for James to get some fresh air and exercise, and Ethan had tagged along to keep an eye on both of them.

Sienna had driven to visit Jeremiah and their mother for the weekend, leaving just Mia and Elena alone in the big house.

Elena spent the morning trying to work up the courage to bring up her relationship with Ethan. She rehearsed different ways to start the conversation, but every approach seemed wrong.

How do you tell your best friend that you’re want to be in a relationship with her younger brother while you’re still technically mourning someone else?

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139 ELENA, MIA IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

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They were sitting in the living room after lunch, both reading books but not really paying attention to the words on the page.

The silence felt heavy, loaded with all the things Elena wasn’t saying.

Finally, Mia set down her book and stretched.

“I’m glad you and Ethan have been getting along so well,” she said casually.

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