Page 26 of Claiming My Nemesis

“But it’s hard not to,” Jess finished for me, her voice soft with understanding.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “I just wish I knew what was going on.”

Jess wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a comforting squeeze. “You’ll hear from him, Nat. Just give it time.”

“I hope so,” I murmured, leaning into her embrace. “I hate not knowing.”

“You’re stronger than you think,” Jess said, pulling back to look at me. “And whatever happens, you’ll get through it. But you know I’m here for you, right?”

I nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude for my friend’s support. “Thanks, Jess. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She smiled, but there was a sadness in her eyes that mirrored my own. “You won’t have to find out.”

Later that afternoon, I returned home, the quiet of the house amplifying the thoughts I’d been trying to keep at bay. I kicked off my shoes and made my way to the living room, the gravity of the day pressing down on me.

The silence felt heavy—oppressive, and I found myself reaching for my phone almost out of habit. I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over Ethan’s name. I wanted to call him, to hear his voice, to know that everything was okay. But the fear of what I might—or might not—hear kept me frozen. Instead, I decided to send a text, something simple and non-intrusive.

NATALIE: Hi, just checking in. Is everything okay? I really do miss you.

I hit ‘Send’ and set the phone down, trying to push away the anxiety gnawing at me. But as the minutes ticked by with no response, the worry that had been simmering all day began to boil over.

Just as I was about to put the phone down and find something else to distract myself, it buzzed in my hand. But it wasn’t Ethan’s name that flashed on the screen—it was my mom.

With a sigh, I answered, forcing a cheerful tone. “Hi, Mom!”

“Hi, sweetheart,” she replied, her voice warm and familiar. “How’s everything going?”

“Busy,” I admitted, sinking into the couch. “We’re in full swing with the fundraiser. It’s been a lot of work, but we’re getting there.”

“I’m sure you’ll pull it off wonderfully, as always,” Mom said, and I could hear the pride in her voice. “But I was actually calling to see if you might want to come visit us in D.C. for a weekend visit. Your father and I miss you, and we’d love to have you here for a bit.”

I hesitated, caught off guard by the invitation. “Oh, um, I’ll have to see how things are going… but I’ll definitely think about it.”

“Please do,” Mom urged. “It would be so good to have you here, even if it’s just for a little while.”

“Okay, I will,” I promised, my mind racing with the implications of the visit. “Thanks for the invite, Mom.”

We chatted for a few more minutes before saying our goodbyes, but as I hung up, the unease that had been building all day came crashing down. Between the uncertainty with Ethan and now the prospect of a trip to D.C., I felt like everything was spinning out of control.

After hanging up with my mom, I sat on the couch for a few moments, letting the silence of the house surround me. The rain had picked up again, tapping softly against the windows, a steady rhythm that seemed to echo the restlessness in my heart. I glanced at my phone, hoping to see a response from Ethan, but the screen remained stubbornly blank.

I sighed with the weight of the day settling on my shoulders. The fundraiser, the planning meeting, the conversation with Jess, and the unexpected call from Mom—it had all been a welcome distraction, but now that I was alone, the reality of Ethan’s absence hit me full force.

Feeling tired, I decided to call it a night. I grabbed a book from the shelf, hoping to lose myself in its pages and escape theworries that had been distracting me. With a heavy sigh, I turned on my lamp, slipped under the covers, and opened the book, trying to focus on the words even as my mind continued to drift back to Ethan.

Finally, I set the book aside and rolled over, curling up under the covers, trying to cling to the lingering warmth in the bed. But no matter how tightly I wrapped myself in the blankets, I couldn't shake the cold, lonely feeling that had seeped into my bones.

Ethan was gone, and I was left wondering if he would ever truly come back.

Fourteen

Ethan

“Shit!” I muttered, yanking my phone out of my pocket before getting into the car. The screen flashed with a missed text from Natalie, and a wave of frustration rolled through me.

I quickly scanned her message:

NATALIE: Hi, just checking in. Is everything okay? I really do miss you.

---