Raina stood frozen in the middle of her living room.

The city lights beyond the apartment windows painted the room in soft shades of gold and shadow, but she barely noticed them.

All she could see was Ethan.

He stood a few feet away, staring at her.

Disappointment filled his eyes.

No.

Not disappointment.

Disgust.

"Himari."

The name struck her like a slap.

"You monster."

Raina’s breath caught.

"Ethan..."

"I should have known."

His voice sounded distant somehow. Hollow.

Cold.

"It was you all along."

"No."

"You lied."

The room seemed to tilt.

"You manipulated everyone."

"No."

"You ruined people’s lives."

Raina took a shaky step forward.

"Ethan, please—"

"You’re a murderer."

The words tore through her chest.

"You don’t deserve happiness."

"No."

"You don’t deserve love."

"Ethan—"

"You don’t deserve me."

"No!"

The shout escaped before she could stop it.

And suddenly—

Warm hands grabbed her shoulders.

"Raina!"

The illusion shattered.

Her eyes widened.

The living room returned.

The apartment returned.

Reality returned.

Ethan stood directly in front of her, concern etched across every feature.

His grip tightened slightly.

"Raina?"

She stared at him.

Her pulse hammered violently against her ribs.

For several seconds she couldn’t speak.

Couldn’t think.

Couldn’t separate imagination from reality.

Then finally—

"Ethan..."

Relief flooded his face.

"There you are."

His voice softened.

"You completely zoned out on me."

Raina swallowed.

The wineglass on the table.

The open laptop.

The evening skyline.

None of it had disappeared.

She hadn’t been dreaming.

She had simply... drifted.

Again.

"I was thinking."

"That looked a lot more serious than thinking."

"I’m fine."

The answer came too quickly.

Ethan didn’t look convinced.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Another lie.

But thankfully he let it go.

Mostly.

He guided her toward the couch anyway.

"Sit."

"Ethan—"

"Sit."

She sat.

He dropped beside her.

For a few moments neither spoke.

Raina focused on his presence.

The warmth of his shoulder.

The familiar scent of his cologne.

The steady sound of his breathing.

Real.

He was real.

Not the version her fears kept creating.

Eventually Ethan cleared his throat.

"So..."

Immediately, tension returned.

Raina glanced toward him.

"So?"

"There was something I wanted to talk about."

Her stomach tightened.

"What is it?"

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.

"It’s about Susan."

The name instantly soured her mood.

"What about her?"

"I know I’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately."

Raina remained silent.

Ethan sighed.

"I also know it probably looks bad."

That was a much better description.

"It looks a little suspicious," she admitted.

"A little?"

"A lot."

Ethan laughed despite himself.

"Fair."

The smile faded from his face.

"But I need you to know something."

Raina watched him carefully.

"It’s work."

She said nothing.

"I mean it."

His expression grew serious.

"Susan and I ended years ago."

"I know."

"I don’t have feelings for her."

The answer came immediately.

Without hesitation.

Without uncertainty.

"I love you, Raina."

The sincerity in his voice almost hurt.

Because part of her wanted to believe him completely.

The other part remembered Susan standing in her house.

Smiling.

Threatening.

Waiting.

Ethan reached for her hand.

"I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel neglected."

Raina looked down at their joined fingers.

"You have."

His face immediately fell.

"Ouch."

"You asked."

"I deserved that."

A reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

Ethan brightened immediately.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The smile."

"You’re annoying."

"I’ve been told."

She rolled her eyes.

Ethan grinned.

Then suddenly—

"I took tomorrow off."

Raina blinked.

"What?"

"I took tomorrow off."

"You?"

"Me."

"Voluntarily?"

"Very funny."

She stared.

Ethan Crux voluntarily taking time away from work was nearly as shocking as snowfall in summer.

"Why?"

"Because my girlfriend is starting to look like she’s considering replacing me."

That earned a laugh.

A real one.

The first all day.

Ethan pointed triumphantly.

"See? Worth it."

Raina shook her head.

"So what’s the plan?"

His grin widened.

"I rented a cabin."

She froze.

"A cabin?"

"In Clinton."

Her eyes widened.

"Near LaLa Land?"

"Six hours away."

"Oh my God."

"We leave tomorrow morning."

The excitement hit instantly.

Like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

All thoughts of Susan vanished for a moment.

"LaLa Land?"

Ethan laughed.

"That excited, huh?"

Raina launched herself into his arms.

The force nearly knocked him backward.

"Ethan!"

"There she is."

"I hate you."

"No you don’t."

"No, I really don’t."

He hugged her tighter.

And for the first time all week—

The knot in her chest loosened.

Just a little.

The rest of the evening passed quickly.

Raina disappeared upstairs almost immediately to pack.

Ethan watched her sprint toward the staircase.

"You didn’t even say goodbye."

"BYE!"

Her voice echoed from somewhere upstairs.

He laughed.

"Good enough."

Back at home, Ethan spent the evening packing.

His mother was entirely too pleased about the trip.

"You two need this."

"Mum."

"I’m serious."

Grace pointed at him.

"You’ve spent the last month married to your office."

"I don’t think that’s legally recognized."

"You know what I mean."

Nathan arrived the following morning with his wife and son.

Within minutes the boy had completely monopolized Grace’s attention with an army of plastic dinosaurs.

Ethan watched his mother enthusiastically participate in a dinosaur invasion.

"I don’t think she even knows I’m leaving anymore."

Nathan laughed.

"You’re free."

Grace waved him away without looking up.

"Go spend time with your girlfriend."

That settled it.

By nine o’clock Ethan pulled up outside Raina’s building.

She was already waiting.

Two suitcases.

Three bags.

A backpack.

And somehow a travel pillow.

Ethan stared.

"Are we relocating permanently?"

Raina looked offended.

"You said weekend."

"I did."

"What if we need things?"

"For forty-eight hours?"

"You never know."

Ethan decided not to fight that battle.

The drive to Clinton took most of the day.

As the city disappeared behind them, everything seemed lighter.

The endless pressure from work.

The tension surrounding Susan.

The constant anxiety that had been hanging over Raina.

All of it faded into the background.

Just a little.

The cabin was beautiful.

Hidden among towering pines overlooking a quiet lake.

A wide wooden deck wrapped around the structure.

Large windows reflected the afternoon sun.

The entire place felt isolated from the rest of the world.

Exactly what they needed.

The grocery trip quickly became chaos.

Ethan bought actual food.

Raina bought snacks.

An unreasonable amount of snacks.

"Do we need three bags of candy?"

"Absolutely."

"We’re here for two days."

"And?"

"I don’t know how to respond to that."

"You don’t need to."

The candy stayed.

Dinner was simple.

Pasta.

Garlic bread.

Wine.

Nothing extraordinary.

Yet somehow it felt perfect.

The fireplace crackled softly.

Moonlight danced across the lake outside.

No phones.

No meetings.

No interruptions.

Just them.

For one evening, life felt wonderfully normal.

The next morning they headed to LaLa Land.

The amusement park stretched across the horizon like its own miniature city.

Rollercoasters twisted through the skyline.

Music drifted through crowded walkways.

Bright colors covered every attraction.

Children raced between rides clutching balloons and oversized stuffed animals.

Raina looked completely enchanted.

Ethan smiled.

"What’s first?"

"Everything."

"That’s not how planning works."

"It’s how my planning works."

The day passed in a blur of rides, games, food stalls, and laughter.

At one booth Ethan somehow won a giant stuffed bear.

At another he cleared every target in a shooting game.

Raina narrowed her eyes.

"You’re suspiciously good at that."

"I’m naturally gifted."

"You’re cheating."

"I’m talented."

"You cheated."

The argument lasted nearly ten minutes.

Neither side surrendered.

Eventually Ethan bought popcorn.

Peace was restored.

Temporarily.

The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent when they entered one of the park’s central plazas.

Music drifted from nearby speakers.

Performers entertained gathered crowds.

The atmosphere buzzed with energy.

Raina was reaching into the popcorn bucket when Ethan suddenly stopped walking.

She nearly collided with him.

"What—"

Then she saw it.

A woman standing beside a fountain.

Blonde hair.

Dark coat.

Familiar face.

For a moment nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

The noise of the amusement park seemed to fade away.

Then Ethan frowned.

"Susan?"

Beside him, Raina felt every muscle in her body lock.

Because Susan looked just as shocked to see them.

And somehow—

That terrified her more than if Susan had been expecting them.

To Be Continued....