Chapter 3
The air in the hospital room was so thick with tension that it was suffocating.
Ethan locked his gaze on Vincent's message, a vein throbbing at his temple.
"Consequences?" Ethan spat, each word forced through gritted teeth. "He threatened you?"
I shrank into myself, the phone suddenly feeling like a hot potato in my hand. "I don't know.
"He said he was up for a promotion and told me not to contact..."
Before I could finish, Ethan snatched the phone from my hand.
He unlocked it in a flash and started scrolling through the chat history.
I watched him, my heart pounding, terrified he'd come across something even more scandalous.
After all, I was basically the queen of flirting. Who knew what kind of racy stuff I'd sent before?
Ethan's face grew darker and darker.
Most of Vincent's messages were straight-laced, merely comments on my papers.
But that one line, "Let's end our relationship," sounded way too ambiguous.
"Relationship?" Ethan snorted.
He slammed the phone down on the nightstand, the force making the water glass rattle.
Ethan glared at me, his voice sharp. "Does a teacher-student relationship need to be formally ended? Hannah, did you hook up with him?"
His question was so raw, so humiliating.
My cheeks flushed bright red as I blurted out, "No, I don't even remember."
Ethan sneered, his eyes blazing with fury. "Just because you don't remember means it never happened?
"You'd better pray you didn't. Otherwise, I'll ruin his reputation."
He started pacing the room, his steps heavy with rage.
He was like a wild animal whose territory had been invaded.
I watched him, my heart pounding with fear.
This guy, who claimed to be my boyfriend and wanted to marry me, was seriously scary.
He didn't trust me at all; he only wanted to possess and control me.
I wanted to bolt.
But right now, I had nowhere else to go. I was stuck with him, whether I liked it or not.
"Um, Ethan," I said cautiously. "Can I go see him tomorrow?"
Ethan stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at me.
His gaze was so cold it could freeze me solid.
"What did you say?" he demanded.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to explain. "He said I'd have to face the consequences. I'm scared he might try something.
"And I need to figure out what kind of relationship we really have.
"If I don't clear this up, it'll keep bothering me."
Ethan didn't say a word.
He stared at me in silence, his gaze so intense it made my skin crawl.
After what felt like forever, he finally gave a cold, mocking smile.
"Fine," he said. "If that's what you want, go ahead.
"I'd love to see what kind of tricks that old man has up his sleeve."
He agreed too readily, which only made me feel more uneasy.
But I didn't dare ask any more questions.
As long as he let me go, I'd have a chance to figure out the truth.
*****
That night, Ethan didn't leave.
He squeezed onto my hospital bed and pulled me roughly into his arms.
The single hospital bed was already cramped, and with both of us jammed together, there was barely room to move, let alone turn over.
His arm locked around my waist like a vise.
I tried to push him away, but he grabbed the back of my head and crushed his lips to mine, punishing me with his kiss.
Gentleness was nowhere to be found.
It was pure punishment and venting.
He bit my lip, his tongue ravaging my mouth, rough and relentless.
I could taste blood in my mouth.
"Mm, it hurts," I whimpered.
I beat at his shoulders, tears welling up in my eyes.
Ethan finally let go, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
He pressed his forehead to mine, his voice rough. "Hannah, you belong to me.
"You're mine, now and forever.
"No one's ever taking you away from me."
I lay awake in the dark, listening to the heavy thud of his heartbeat, unable to sleep a wink.
This wasn't love.
This was a cage.
*****
The next afternoon, Ethan drove me to the Petrico University.
He pulled up outside the west gate.
"Go on," he said, lighting a cigarette and making it clear he wasn't getting out. "You've got half an hour.
"If you're not out in thirty minutes, I'm coming in to get you myself."
Relieved, I practically bolted out of the car.
Once I was out of his sight, I could finally breathe a little easier.
The café sat right along the roadside.
I pushed open the door and spotted Vincent right away.
He was sitting by the window, dressed in a crisp white shirt, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his sharp nose.
My first thought upon seeing him was: polished exterior, rotten core.
I took a deep breath, walked over, and sat down across from him. "Hi, Prof. Hayes."
Vincent looked up, his gaze emotionless and detached behind those glasses.
He didn't waste any time, sliding a document across the table to me. "Sign it."