He Promised to Catch Me. Then He Pushed Me Off the Edge Chapter 03

He Promised to Catch Me. Then He Pushed Me Off the Edge Chapter 03

The door slammed, and whatever was left between us died right there. I packed my bags with steady hands.

The next morning, I walked into the living room and found my mother standing there. Ethan acted like nothing had happened. He was busy laying out an itinerary.

“Mrs. Campbell, it’s so good of you to come all the way out here. I know you love hiking. We should take you up the Ridge Trail today.”

I started to refuse. My mother saw it coming. She leaned in close and hissed under her breath.

“Nora. Don’t you start. Your sister called me all the way out here because you and Ethan are fighting. Whatever’s going on, fix it. I mean it, Nora.”

My whole life, my mother had always sided with Vivian. I’d been with Ethan for four years. I’d wanted to bring him home so my family could meet him.

My mother refused. “It’s not that serious yet. Bringing him home now makes it a whole thing.” But Vivian made one phone call, and she flew out immediately.

I didn’t have the energy to argue. I got in the car. The whole hike up, I kept my earbuds in. Calming music. A lifeline.

I didn’t let my eyes drift anywhere except the dirt directly in front of my feet. Ethan gave me his hand. I held it. He spent the entire climb facing forward, laughing and joking with Vivian and my mother. I walked behind them. I didn’t belong in that picture.

“Watch your step. It gets steep here.”

He tracked every foothold for her. Every rough patch. He gave Vivian a gentle warning at every turn. I was right behind him. I stumbled once. Hard. He didn’t turn around. My pained hiss got swallowed by their laughter.

We finally made it to the top. Vivian dragged Ethan to the cliff overlook, shouting into the canyon, snapping photos. I pressed myself against the support beam of the observation deck.

Vivian spotted me cowering. Her eyes gleamed. She stretched out her hand toward me.

“Nora! Get over here. The view is insane. You have to see it.”

I shook my head, my face drained white.

She and my mother exchanged a look. My mother gave me a hard shove toward the edge.

“Help!”

The second my eyes registered the drop below, my heart stopped. Every nightmare from the bungee jump, from the rooftop, crashed into me at once. I forgot how to breathe. I was sure I was about to die.

Then two strong arms yanked me backward.

By the time my brain caught up, I was clinging to Ethan like a spider monkey.

“Ha! Look at you. That is hilarious. I’m taking a picture.”

Vivian’s mockery drew stares from other hikers. Their judgment, their pity, burned into me. I buried my face in the crook of Ethan’s neck. The tears came, unstoppable, soaking through his shirt.

An exasperated sigh above me jolted me back.

“All right, all right. You’ve got me here. You think I’d let anything happen to you? It wasn’t that scary. Your mom’s here. Look, you did great. No more making a big deal out of this acrophobia thing.”

My heart sank to the bottom of my stomach.

Four years. Four years together, and he looked at my face—white as a sheet—and called it fine.

My mother gave me a tired look. She turned and linked arms with Vivian.

“Well. That settles that. Viv, what about that apartment? The Pinnacle Tower? Take me to see it.”

I didn’t say a word. I sat in the observation shelter, trying to pull myself back together. When I finally got my breathing under control and looked up, the sun was sinking low. The observation deck was empty.

Panic seized my chest. I called Ethan.

He picked up. His voice came through with a light laugh. “Nora. We headed down early. The last gondola’s about to leave. We’ll meet you at the base.”