He Saved A Spot For Her, Leaving No Room For Me Chapter 09

He Saved A Spot For Her, Leaving No Room For Me Chapter 09

That night, Ethan transferred the money back.

Eighteen thousand-the principal.

He added another twenty thousand.

Memo: [I can’t make up for it–but please take it.]

I kept the principal.

Returned the twenty thousand.

The next day, I went to the house to pick up my remaining documents.

The smart lock had been reset.

Ethan stood at the door, dark circles under his eyes.

“I deleted everyone.”

He showed me his phone.

Only one user remained on the lock.

Iris.

“I’m selling the house.”

“I’ll have my lawyer itemize your renovation costs, damages, compensation.”

“If you don’t want this place, I’ll tear it all down.”

I unlocked the door.

The whole place had changed.

The purple placemats were gone.

Tessa’s clothes were gone.

The old framed photo was gone.

On the dining table sat a bouquet of white roses.

Next to it-plain oatmeal, stomach meds, almond milk.

All my things.

Ethan said quietly, “I learned to make oatmeal.”

“It might not taste as good as yours used to.”

“But I can keep learning.”

I didn’t sit down.

“The documents?”

His eyes reddened as he handed me a file folder.

Inside: ID copies, certificates, contracts.

And my mom’s gold bangle.

My face changed. “How do you have this?”

His voice was tight. “That night at the restaurant-your uncle left it behind.”

“I’ve been waiting to give it back to you myself.”

I picked up the bangle.

The bent part pressed against my palm.

Then Ethan dropped to his knees.

“Iris.”

I looked down at him.

He was always so proud.

Back in college, even when he lost the student council election, he smiled and bought dinner for his

opponent.

Now he was on his knees in front of me, tears hitting the floor.

“I’m not asking you to forgive me right now.”

“I’m asking you-don’t write me off completely.”

“Give me a chance to make it right.”

I laughed. “Ethan, you don’t need my permission to make things right.”

“You can do that on your own.”

“Just don’t do it in front of me.”

He crawled forward on his knees. “Iris, I really do love you.”

“I know.”

His eyes lit up.

I kept going. “But the way you love me-is by always putting me last.”

His face went pale.

From outside the door, his mother’s voice came through.

“Iris, the Sullivans have already been more than generous to you.”

She burst in, saw Ethan on his knees, and shook with rage. “You’re kneeling for her?”

Ethan stood up and stepped in front of me. “Get out.”

“I’m your mother!”

“Then get out anyway.”

His mother froze.

Ethan’s voice went cold and hard. “You humiliated her before, and I didn’t stop it. That was my

fault.”

“From now on, anyone who says one bad word about her-I’ll cut them off.”

I watched his back.

If he’d done this earlier.

Even a day earlier.

I would’ve cried and held him.

But now I just felt tired.

“Ethan.”

He turned immediately.

I held up the file folder. “I got what I came for.”

“Goodbye.”

Panic flooded his eyes. “Iris, don’t go.”

“Tell me what to do–I’ll do it.”

“I can cut my mom off. I can send Tessa far away. I can plan a new wedding.”

I shook my head. “You always think I’m waiting for compensation.”

“But I’m waiting for someone who won’t hurt me in the first place.”

He opened his mouth-nothing came out.

Too late. The protection he finally offered couldn’t undo what was already done.

Ethan chased me downstairs.

Nadia’s car was parked at the curb.

She leaned out the window. “Iris, we’re going to miss your flight.”

Ethan’s steps faltered. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“Where?”

“Crestwood.”

“When are you coming back?”

“I’m not.”

He looked like he’d been struck. Tears spilled from his eyes.

“What about the house?”

“You deal with it.”

“The lock?”

“Delete it.”

‘And me?”

I looked at him. “You’re free.”

He shook his head, almost breaking. “I don’t want to be free.”

“Iris, I don’t want anyone else.”

“I only want you.”

I pulled open the car door.

“Ethan.”

“You’re always like this.”

“You only want the original after it’s broken.”

“But I’m not a Costco item.”

“Expired-and waiting for you to buy me back.”

The car pulled away.

Ethan ran after me, shouting my name.

The gate came down.

He was stopped by the bar, stumbling.

The canceled household card in his hand fell into a puddle.

He bent down to pick it up-his suit pants soaked in mud.

So different from the always-composed Ethan I knew.

I didn’t look back.

Before the plane took off, he sent a flood of messages.

[I canceled Tessa’s household card.]

[The house only has your fingerprint now.]

[I’ll handle my mom.]

[I know I messed up. Please don’t leave me.]

The last one said: [Iris, you said you wanted a home. I’ll give it to you.]

I stared at it for a long time. Then I replied:

[Ethan, you can’t give me that.]

[Because when I wanted a home, you gave the key to someone else.]

I sent it-then blocked him.

As the plane cut through the clouds, I touched the gold bangle on my wrist.

The bent part was still there.

Uncle Ray said I could get it fixed-still wearable.

I told him no.

Some marks are worth keeping.

To remind me not to look back.