She Drew Our Love, She Drew Our End Chapter 08

She Drew Our Love, She Drew Our End Chapter 08

I heard that once Ethan went back, he fired a lot of people.

He even went back to the jewelry store where he’d locked me up with a hammer and smashed the place apart piece by piece.

He went after every friend who had spent years bad–mouthing me just as hard.

One after another, they went bankrupt or watched their families implode.

He even cut Sloane out of his life.

The next time I saw them was in court.

Ethan stared at me the entire time, barely blinking.

I ignored him.

I submitted bank transfers and messages proving Ethan and Sloane had taken control of my money and

property.

For interfering with my father’s emergency care and locking me inside the jewelry store,

I submitted the video footage.

It showed everything: them locking me in, and me smashing through the glass to get out.

The expensive attorneys their families had hired looked physically ill.

The evidence was airtight. There was almost nothing left to argue.

After Ethan watched the video, he froze.

Then he turned toward Sloane beside him.

“You told me you didn’t know Emmie’s father had a heart condition.”

Sloane’s eyes darted away.

“And when Emmie said she needed money for a lawyer, I was ready to send it. You stopped me and said the jar had to decide.”

“When her dad needed a cardiac stent, you were the one who said you’d checked and found out it was a lie.”

“Sloane, I thought we were best friends.”

It was as if the fog finally lifted from Ethan’s mind.

For the first time, he seemed to see the truth.

Sloane started to deny it, but when she saw the look on Ethan’s face,

she stopped trying and admitted everything.

“Fine. Yes. I did all of it on purpose.”

“Because I’m in love with you. I never cared about that stupid jar. I used it to drive every other woman away

from you.”

“There was always another woman buzzing around you, but at least you never cared about any of them.”

“Emma was different. She was brilliant, beautiful, and every time you looked at her, your whole face lit up.”

“What else was I supposed to do? I humiliated her. I tore her down until she would leave on her own.”

“But she loved you so much she swallowed every insult. And I loved you so much I was willing to spend every day looking bitter and jealous if that was what it took.”

As Sloane spoke,

Ethan’s eyes never left me.

And for one brief moment,

he seemed to understand the full weight of what I’d endured for five years.

Then, while his lawyers were still arguing for leniency,

he suddenly spoke.

“I’ll plead guilty. To all of it.”

His parents‘ attorney nearly stumbled where he stood.

His mother looked ready to pass out from rage. Every trace of polished society composure vanished.

“I don’t care how many years I get. I admit everything. Sloane was my accomplice, and she was part of every single thing I did.”

Sloane’s eyes went wide. Her voice rose to a shriek.

“Ethan Prescott, what the hell are you saying? Go to hell! I’m not going to prison with you…”

Sloane got eight years. Ethan got ten.

She went from declaring her love to cursing him out

in a matter of minutes.

I didn’t care to watch the farce play out.

I looked toward Mom in the gallery instead.

She was holding Dad’s urn in her arms.

Regret swallowed me whole.

If I’d never walked into that coffee shop all those years ago,

would none of this have happened?

Would I have simply walked into a bright, ordinary future instead?

Every number Sloane had pulled had been a warning, trying to turn me back.

But I’d plunged headfirst into love

and willingly endured every humiliation that came with it.