They Planned A Party In My Home Without Me Chapter 09

They Planned A Party In My Home Without Me Chapter 09

Three months later, I returned to my old city for a business trip.

Ethan somehow found out and waited for me outside my hotel.

This time, he didn’t bring a gift or ask me to come home.

“I just want to have dinner with you.”

“One last time.”

I checked the time and agreed.

He chose a very ordinary little restaurant.

The table was small, with only two seats.

When the food arrived, he ladled soup into my bowl.

He moved awkwardly and spilled quite a bit.

“I’ve learned how to cook lately.”

“I still can’t get the honey-glazed salmon right.”

I didn’t respond.

Ethan lowered his head and let out a small laugh.

“I used to think that since you knew how to cook, you were supposed to do it.”

“After you left, I realized that one meal meant buying groceries, washing and cooking everything, then cleaning up afterward.”

“Lena, I really wasn’t trying to make you leave that day.”

“I know.”

He looked up.

“You know?”

“You just didn’t think pulling my chair away was a big deal.”

That embarrassed him more than an accusation could have.

Ethan tightened his grip on his glass.

“Can we start over?”

“No.”

“Because of Mia?”

“Because of you.”

His eyes reddened.

I continued:

“Whether Mia was there or not, you would’ve treated me like the person who was easiest to push around.”

“It was her today. Tomorrow it would be someone else.”

Whenever there weren’t enough seats, I was always the first one you expected to stand.

Ethan opened his mouth but didn’t argue again.

When the check came, he suddenly handed me a small box.

Inside was a ring.

“I was going to give you this over the holiday.”

I pushed the box back to him.

“That night, one extra place setting appeared at the table, and you couldn’t even save my seat.”

“Giving me a ring now is too late.”

He sat there, and the tears finally spilled over.

I didn’t comfort him.

Over the years, he’d watched me cry plenty of times.

Every time, he told me I was overthinking things.

Now that it was his turn to hurt, he could sit with it himself.

When I walked out of the restaurant, he didn’t follow.

He only watched through the window as I got into my car.