Page 24 of Royal Compromise

In that moment, my heart overflows with love for him, knowing that our love is still as strong as ever. “I’ve never stopped loving you,” he assures me. In that moment, I know that no matter what, I’m completely his.

My joy is short-lived when he pulls up to my house and Ethan is waiting for me on my porch.

As I catch sight of Ethan standing on the doorstep, a sense of unease washes over me, and I feel a flicker of apprehension pass through my eyes. “Oh no,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, the sight of him stirring up a mix of emotions within me. “It’s Ethan.”

My heart sinks as I realize the gravity of the situation. Ethan’s expression is less than welcoming. “Do you want me to stay?” Cade asks, his voice laced with concern, his hand reaching out to squeeze mine in a reassuring gesture.

Shaking my head, my gaze fixed on Ethan’s figure in the doorway, I muster up a small smile. “No, it’s okay,” I reply, my voice trembling slightly with nerves. “I’ll handle it.”

As Cade nods in understanding, I can feel the weight of his support comforting me, even as I prepare to face Ethan alone. “Just let me know if you need anything, okay?” he says softly, his voice filled with sincerity.

With a deep breath, I steel myself for the confrontation ahead and step out of the car, my shoulders squared, and my chin held high. I can sense the tension in the air as I approach Ethan; his body language is stiff and defensive.

As Ethan catches sight of me with Cade, his expression darkens, and a tense silence settles between us. “Aria,” he begins, his voice strained with emotion. “What’s going on?”

My heart sinks at the hurt in his eyes, and I struggle to find the right words to explain. “Ethan, I can explain.” I start, my voice trembling slightly as I meet his gaze.

But before I can continue, Ethan’s tone turns sharp with anger. “I saw you with him, Aria,” he accuses, his words cutting through the air like a knife. “With Cade. What were you doing with him?”

I feel a knot form in my stomach as I try to gather my thoughts, knowing that there’s no easy way to explain what Ethan witnessed. “We were talking and…,” I attempt to explain, my voice shaking with nerves. “We have a complicated history, Ethan.”

But Ethan’s disbelief is palpable as he shakes his head, his fists clenched at his sides. “Talking?” he repeats incredulously. “Aria, please don’t lie to me. I saw the way he was looking at you.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I realize the depth of Ethan’s hurt, and I reach out to touch his arm. “Ethan, please,” I plead, my voice breaking with emotion. “I care about you; I really do, but...”

But Ethan pulls away, his expression hardened with resolve. “I can’t do this, Aria,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t be with someone who can’t be honest with me.”

My heart shatters at his words, and I feel a wave of guilt wash over me. “Ethan,” I whisper, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I am so sorry, I don’t want to hurt you, but...I still love Cade, and I want to see where things go with him.”

He looks at me with a mixture of hurt and disbelief, his voice barely a whisper. “How could you do this to me, Aria?” he asks, his words heavy with pain. “After everything we shared?”

I try to apologize and explain, but the words catch in my throat, and all I can do is watch as Ethan turns away, disappointment written across his features. And as he walks away, I’m left alone with the weight of my choices, knowing that I’ve hurt someone I cared about.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts and gain control over my emotions before walking back to Cade’s car. He gets out to meet me.

“I’m sorry about that,” I say, my voice tinged with frustration as I walk to meet Cade. “Ethan deserves to know about us rekindling our relationship.”

I pause in front of Cade, and he reaches out to brush a stray lock of hair from my face, concern evident in his eyes. I can’t help but feel my heart beating faster at his touch. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Nodding, I offer him a small smile, touched by his concern. “I’ll be fine,” I assure him, my voice steadier now. “I’m glad you told me how you feel about me, Cade. It means a lot to me.”

“I love you, Aria,” Cade tells me, his words filling me with a sense of peace and reassurance. “I’m here for you, no matter what.”

With those words echoing in my mind, I share a lingering embrace with Cade before making my way inside, feeling grateful to the universe for bringing us back together and keeping our love for each other intact.

***

As I sit in my room, still reeling from the confrontation with Ethan, my phone rings, breaking the heavy silence. With a shaky breath, I answer, expecting to hear a familiar voice on the other end.

“Hey, Aria, it’s Rose.” The cheerful voice comes through the line, and I can’t help but smile at the sound of her bubbly personality. “How’s everything going? I’ve been dying to hear all about your weekend. Joe told me the venue details from Cade, but you and I haven’t had a chance to talk since you returned from the hotel.”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves before launching into the whirlwind of emotions that have consumed me over the past few days. “Rose, you won’t believe what happened,” I start, my voice tinged with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

As I recount the events of the trip to the venue—from the unexpected trip to the hotel with Cade to our heartfelt conversation under the stars—Rose listens intently, interjecting with gasps of surprise and exclamations of encouragement.

“I’m so glad you went to the hotel with Cade!” she exclaims, her voice tinged with excitement. “Oh, Aria, I’m so happy for you. I knew there were still strong feelings between you two, and let’s be honest, Ethan has never made you as excited or as happy as you sound right now.”

I can’t help but chuckle at her reaction, despite the heaviness weighing on my heart. “Yeah, Ethan, that’s another thing. I and Cade went on a date this evening, and when we got back, Ethan was waiting for me on my porch. I ended things with him, but Rose, I feel so bad. All he ever did was act sweet and nice to me, and yet I still hurt him.”

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