Chapter 19 : Departure and Denial - 2 " Ethan ? What's up ? " Sophie answered , sounding surprised . " Have you heard from Olivia ? " I asked without preamble . " Olivia ? " Sophie's surprise seemed genuine . " No , she hasn't contacted me . I don't know where she went . " " Can you try messaging her ? " I pressed . " Sure , hold on . " There was a pause , then Sophie's voice returned , sounding confused . " That's strange . The message failed to send . Let me try again . " Another pause . " Ethan , I think she's blocked me too . But why would she do that ? We didn't have a fight or anything . " " Any news ? " I asked , my voice tight with urgency . " She blocked me too ," Sophie confirmed with a sigh . A heavy silence settled between us . I was about to say something else when Cassandra's voice cut through the tension . " Ethan , so you and Olivia broke up ? " she asked , her tone light with barely concealed glee . I froze at her words . Broke up ? The phrase echoed in my mind , bringing with it the memory of that night my harsh words , " I never want to see you again , " thrown at Olivia in anger . But those were just words , weren't they ? Just an angry outburst , not a true end . I had never truly considered that she would leave for good . Her blocking me felt like a tantrum , a waiting game where I would eventually soothe her anger . But now , with her room emptied and contacts severed , was she really just sulking , or was it truly over ? Cassandra's gentle voice interrupted my tumultuous thoughts as she affectionately pressed against my arm . " Since you've ended things , let's each move on peacefully , shall we ? Why don't we go for a trip to the northern territories and relax ? " 1/3 < Chapter 19 Departure and De .. +25 Puntos > As realization dawned , my initial panic transformed into anger . Very well , I thought bitterly . Olivia's gotten bold , daring to leave me ? Let's see how long she can last without my protection ten days , half a month ? - I resolved coldly to ignore her , convinced that she would soon come crawling back . To prove it , I smiled provocatively at Cassandra . " Sure , where do you want to go ? You decide . " Her eyes sparkled with delight . " Really ? I want to visit the Silver Lake Territory . This time of year , the moonlight on the water is stunning . " A flicker of memory crossed my mind - Olivia once mentioning her desire to visit Silver Lake during the Full Moon Festival . I had dismissed it back then as overcrowded and pointless . Now , when Cassandra brought it up , I almost instinctively wanted to refuse but changed my mind abruptly a subtle act of rebellion against the ghost of Olivia's wishes . " Alright , let's go to Silver Lake ," I agreed . Yet despite the new travel plans , the restless frustration inside me persisted . After sitting with Cassandra watching TV for a while , I excused myself brusquely . " You just recovered from your injuries , rest well at home . I need to go out . " Cassandra , perceptive and eager not to push me , merely smiled sweetly . " Okay , I'll wait here for you . " Once outside , I called Jason Mitchell . " Jason , come out for drinks . Bring Lucas and the others . " Soon I arrived at our usual upscale club in Harbor City , pushing open the private room's door where my friends had gathered . Lucas greeted me first , his expression curious . " Ethan , you came alone ? Cassandra didn't come with you ? " I shot him a questioning look . " Why should she ? " Lucas , caught off guard , stammered incoherently . Before he could recover , I dropped a bombshell . " My girlfriend is Olivia . Why aren't you asking about her ? " Lucas was dumbstruck , his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water . " What ? Ever since Cassandra returned , haven't you always brought her along ? And didn't you say Olivia is boring , no fun at all ? " 2/3 < Chapter 19 Departure and De +25 Puntos My face tightened with an unexplainable complexity . I found no words to refute this cruel truth . Jason , sensing the tension , hurriedly diverted the topic . " Ethan , you haven't been around these days . Busy with what ? " I flopped onto the sofa , lighting a cigarette . " Cassandra was hurt and hospitalized . I was with her . " Jason's expression twisted awkwardly . " But … you just said Olivia is your girlfriend , yet you've been spending all your time at the hospital with Cassandra . Didn't Olivia get upset ? " My face darkened at his words . Upset ? It was far worse . She's breaking up with me ! The thought stabbed me with a mix of indignation and denial . " She's making a fuss , threatening to break up ," I spat through gritted teeth . Lucas scoffed , leaning back in his chair with a smirk . " Would she really break up with you ? You're probably the best man she could ever hope to be with . I bet she'll come back within ten days ." Another friend chimed in , raising his glass . " She loves you so much , three years now , we all see it . She can't live without you . I'll bet eight days . " A third echoed from across the table , " She's just sulking , waiting for you to call her . I give it half a month , tops , before she begs to get back together . " Hearing their confident predictions , my furrowed brow finally relaxed into a smug , contemptuous sneer . " Call her ? Impossible . " Just then , Jason's quiet voice pierced the air with unexpected weight . " But … what if she doesn't come back ? What if she's found someone else ? " That question stunned me into speechlessness . I had never truly considered that possibility . Comentarios