The morning had begun like any other. Olivia woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside their bedroom window, the sun spilling in through the gaps in the curtains. Ethan had already left the bed, as usual, leaving behind a faint scent of his cologne on the sheets. She smiled to herself, recalling how attentive and loving he had been the day before. But today, something felt different.
As she entered the kitchen, she found Ethan already dressed, coffee in hand, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up at her, offering a quick smile, but it was fleeting. His usual warmth and energy seemed dulled, replaced by a quietness she couldn't quite place.
"Morning," she greeted him softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"Morning," he replied, his tone flat, distant.
She frowned slightly but brushed it off, assuming he was just preoccupied with work. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just busy," he muttered before heading toward the door, grabbing his briefcase.
"Alright... I'll see you later," she called after him, watching as he left without the usual goodbye kiss. Something was definitely off.
The rest of the morning, Olivia tried to shake the nagging feeling in her gut. She texted him a few times, asking if he was alright, but received no response. By noon, her frustration had begun to build. She decided to take matters into her own hands. She picked up lunch from his favorite restaurant and made her way to his office, determined to see him and figure out what was going on.
When she arrived at his office, Olivia noticed something strange. His car wasn't parked outside, and as she entered the building, the usual buzz of employees seemed quieter than usual. She headed straight to his office and found it empty. The lights were off, and there was no sign of Ethan.
Confused, Olivia turned to Alex, one of Ethan's close associates, who was lingering near the doorway. "Where's Ethan?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though her nerves were beginning to fray.
Alex fumbled, his eyes darting away nervously. "I—I don't know. He left earlier and took the car by himself."
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you don't know? You're his assistant. Where did he go?"
"I really don't know," Alex stammered, his face pale. "He didn't say."
Her frustration flared. Without another word, she turned and stormed into Ethan's office, setting the lunch she had brought on his desk. The silence of the empty room made her heart pound harder in her chest. She pulled out a piece of paper from her purse and scribbled a note, her anger flowing through each word.
*Ethan, I don't know what's going on with you, but ignoring me isn't the way to handle it. I brought you lunch, though I doubt you care. Call me when you remember I exist.*
She slammed the note down next to the lunch and stormed out of the office, her anger swirling with a growing sense of worry.
---
The clock struck 6 PM as Olivia sat in her office, waiting for any word from Ethan. But there had been nothing. Not a text, not a call—just silence. She sighed, feeling a deep pit of unease settle in her stomach. Was he okay? Where had he gone? Why wasn't he responding?
Unable to concentrate on work anymore, she gathered her things and booked a taxi home. The ride was quiet, and her thoughts raced. By the time she stepped into their house, she was fully consumed by worry.
She walked into their bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, staring out into the darkening sky. The thought of something happening to Ethan gripped her heart, making her throat tighten. Was he hurt? Did something happen? Had he been in an accident?
Tears welled up in her eyes as the uncertainty gnawed at her. She tried calling him again, but it went straight to voicemail. The silence was deafening, and as the minutes ticked by, her emotions overwhelmed her. The tears that had been building finally spilled over, and she sobbed uncontrollably, her hands covering her face as the weight of her fear pressed down on her chest.
She sat there for what felt like hours, her vision blurred with tears, when suddenly the bedroom lights flickered on.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly wiped her eyes, looking up. There, standing in the doorway, was Ethan.
"Olivia..." His voice was soft, filled with concern.
She gasped, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and relief. "Ethan... where have you been?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I've been calling you all day! I thought something happened to you."
Ethan walked over to her, his expression full of regret. He knelt down in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. "I'm so sorry, Liv. I didn't mean to worry you."
"You didn't mean to worry me? I've been sick with worry!" she cried, pulling her hands away. "Where were you? Why didn't you answer my calls?"
Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I... I needed some space to think. Things have been so overwhelming lately, and I just needed to clear my head."
Olivia stared at him, her anger and relief colliding. "You could have told me that, Ethan! Instead, you disappear, and I'm left here thinking the worst."
"I know, I know," he said softly, reaching for her again. "I messed up. I should have called, I just... I didn't want to worry you more than I already had."
She closed her eyes, the remnants of her tears still clinging to her lashes. "I was so scared," she whispered, her voice fragile. "I thought I'd lost you."
Ethan's heart clenched at her words. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. "I'm right here," he whispered into her hair. "I'm not going anywhere, Liv. I promise."
They sat like that for a long time, the silence between them no longer distant but filled with understanding. Eventually, Olivia pulled back, wiping her eyes.
"I need you to trust me, Ethan," she said softly. "I can't handle you shutting me out like this."
"I do trust you," he murmured, his fingers brushing her cheek. "I just... I promise, it won't happen again."
Olivia nodded, her heart still aching from the day's turmoil, but she could see the sincerity in his eyes. She rested her forehead against his, taking comfort in the fact that he was finally there with her, safe and sound.
And for now, that was enough.