Our Unfinished Lovestory

Talia was long gone....right from the moment he'd whispered in her ears. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her chestwalls tightened with every breathe. She felt lightheaded. Everyone turned to her, the obvious question dancing on their faces. Talia stood frozen in time unable to say a word, her gaze completely locked in on the one man she'd silently prayed for throughout the past five years. The very eyes she loved to get lost in stared right back at her, confusion and shock laced his gaze. "do you know her, son?" his mom's voice sliced through, every ear anticipating his answer. For a second or two, Ethan didn't reply. He slowly blinked, composed himself and turned to his mom with a smile. "No.. No.. Not really". "you just called her name.." Bianca fumed. "her name?" he feigned ignorance. "yeah! You said Lia". "I don't think I did" he chuckled and took his seat beside his younger sister who was quick to lean in and whisper... "You're so spilling later..." Bianca glared daggers at Talia but Talia wasn't even looking. Not planned... But she couldn't tear her gaze from him. From his smile. From his shoulders that had grown broader. His hair that was sleeked to the side. His Adam apple that stood out more. She watched his younger sister lean into him and whisper something that had him staring back at her. Julian's nudge shook her off her frozen state, her gaze transferring to her husband's terrifying one. She gulped. "is that a painting?" the old chairman broke the tension and Julian turned to him with a smile. "yes sir. You're a man of great wealth. You could get yourself anything out there, so I went for something timeless, one of its kind... There's no replica". He bragged proudly, his parents even prouder of their son. "one of its kind? You got the artist make this? You didn't buy it at an auction?" Julian nodded. "who are they?" the old man was literally in love with what his eyes was feasting on. "well... Its my little secret, but there is more from where that came from sir". Ethan needed only one glance at the painting to know whose handiwork it was. His gaze reverted back to Talia in black. Deventon was really cursed for him. It wasn't even a fucking small city so how the hell did he run into her again?!!!! "is she your wife?" Ethan's grandmother made the situation worse by asking. Talia slowly gazed at Ethan as Julian snaked his hand around her waist. She watched his jaw clench, his gaze deepened. Julian pulled her close, his neck nodding in response to the question. "she is beautiful"....the old lady mused. Talia couldn't even smile. Her eyes blinked thrice in a second. Her lips struggled like it was learning to smile for the first time, her veins visible on her neck. She was trying so hard to compose her shaken self. The Sandersons had to move to give chance to the other guests present to present their gift. The moment they were far away from the family of the night, Bianca jerked Talia's arm, dragging her away to a darker corner. Her eyes darted around making sure no one was close in sight, her voice falling into a slow whisper. "I'm not deaf nor dumb! I know what I heard and the way you went white? Tsk!.... How do you know Ethan Reeds!?!" Talia couldn't even speak, she just knew her system had changed. Her body was far from comfortable. Bianca tightened her grip on her wrist. Her glare intensifying. "you heard him Bianca. He doesn't know me. I don't.... I don't know him" "Lia.... Lia" she chuckled clicking her tongue ".... He fucking shortened your name you sl*t!!! You went missing just when we got here. Is that when you ran into him!? When you tried to seduce him?! Do you have no shame? You're married! " Talia's head throbbed with pain. She just wanted to get out of here. "Bianca -" Nora walked over to them just in time. She too had her questions as her eyes travelled from Talia to the black suited man across the room on his phone. "save your drama for when we get home. The walls have ears" she warned her younger sister and walked away. Obviously she wasn't going to stop her from picking on Talia... It was to save it for the house! Tsk! Bianca fumed and walked away. Talia shut her eyes... Her back finding support on the wall. He really was the man from the pool. She nearly killed him. He was ETHAN! Talia walked back to Julian side, but her body suddenly felt ill. She wanted to go home. Sadly, she wasn't in that kind of loving marriage where she just states what she wants and boom! It gets done. Julian greeted more people, and mingled along. The night had become even longer and Talia was even more scared of walking around alone now. She didn't want to run into him. She avoided looking at the table where they sat. Ethan on his part had his legs tapping hard against the floor beneath the table. Whilst the parents that came to greet his grandfather stepped forward, they had female children who didn't hesitate to throw advances at him, but his mind was somewhere else. Subconsciously, his mind and eyes travelled to Talia who was meters across the room. He couldn't believe she was actually standing there... married to someone else. She actually left him for money! She broke up with him just to get married to....that! His mind quickly comparing Julian's features with himself. He was better in every way. He couldn't believe her... But the feelings on his inside was more unbelieveable. He couldnt tell if he was mad or sad. A part of him wanted to stand up and march across the room, grab her hand and pull her out, bombarding her with all his questions! A part also wanted to feel her warmth in a hug.... The more he was lost staring at her, the more his rage grew. He suddenly stood and walked away. Aria noticed him walk away and followed immediately after. "Ethan" her cool voice ran after him. He stopped for a moment and turned to her. "aria. The name's aria." "well you do know mine already" Aria chuckled, "who wouldn't" "I really hope you're enjoying the party....." "oh yes... Of course.... I really -" "that's good to know then. If you'd excuse me" Ethan walked away without giving her a minute to grasp what just happened. He kept walking till he found himself in his room. He collapsed onto his couch. His hands quickly undoing another button from his shirt. She was here again! She was really before him again. He knew keeping the thought of her away whilst in Deventon was going to be an impossible job. This whole city screamed her name but now seeing her....? A knock interrupted his thoughts. She didn't even wait for him to respond before stepping in. "leaving a party you were late to midway?.... Grandpa's not going to be happy" his sister - Sonia walked in. Ethan shut his eyes. No words in response. "who's she?" Ethan didn't respond still. Sonia emptied her glass of wine into the pits of her stomach. She gently placed the glass on the little glass center table in the room. She joined him on the couch. "lemme guess...? The reason you left Deventon five years ago?" "I left Deventon because grandpa got sick" his eyes finally snapped open. Sonia smirked.... "but she's the reason why you never went back to Deventon, no?" Ethan swallowed, his eyes up at the ceiling. "you sounded like Deventon had become your home few months before grandpa's hospital stay and finally when you returned, you looked dead. You had Steve go get your stuffs back. Its like this city had been blessed with a plague or something and now I see her.... She's a very beautiful plague" "you talk too much" "....well since I'm not too far from the truth. Maybe I deserved to know what happened and what's wrong?" Ethan scoffed. _what happened?!!!! What happened was she ditched him for someone wealthier! She wasn't different as he thought!_ He still remembered that day vividly well. How she left him standing on the streets.... Watching her walk and walk and farther away with everyone staring at him pitifully. He watched her disappear, leaving him wondering maybe she wasn't it. Maybe she wasnt the one for him from the beginning... Now he thinks about it. She got him really good. She played her cards right and dumped him when she was done. Yes....Funny enough...he'd scoff at her presence. She irked him off so bad he couldn't stand her. Yes! He remembered vividly.......