Something felt off? Oh, Madisyn had no idea what he was talking about.
"She needs to grab her stuff and doesn't want to see my brother. They didn't break up on good terms," Ethan explained the situation to Carol aa after giving his driver Carol's address as the first stop.
"I still don't get why you never talked to me about your brother," she said, crossing her arms.
"Because my brother and I can barely stand each other, okay, Carol? That's why," he replied, his tone sharp.
"Well, you still could have mentioned it." She gestured dismissively with her hand.
"I think this... thing, whatever it is, has gone too far, and you're getting too attached. Maybe we should go our separate ways," he said firmly, barely looking at her.
"What? Are you seriously breaking up with me?" she asked, her voice rising in disbelief.
"I'm not, because we were never dating," he replied coldly.
"Stop the car. Thanks, I'll call a taxi. You're such an asshole. I hate you! You're a psychopath, incapable of feeling anything. Grow the fuck up," she snapped, as the car pulled over. She got out quickly.
"I fucking hate you!" she shouted before slamming the door.
The driver glanced at Ethan, checking to see if he wanted to follow her, but Ethan just nodded, signaling to continue driving.
"Yeah, you were an asshole to her," Madisyn remarked.
"It's not my problem if she caught feelings when I told her from the very start that I don't do dating," Ethan shrugged, indifferent.
"You can't expect them not to fall for you when you spend time with them daily," she pointed out.
"Just as they can't expect me to change my mind. I've been honest with her from day one, and she chose not to believe it. Besides, I didn't want her getting involved in our plan. She can be a bit too nosy," he replied, his voice still cold.
Madisyn sitting with her legs crossed , sighed. "I don't think she liked me at all."
"She's the jealous type. Do you want me to drop you off at home, or do you want to do something else?" Ethan asked, glancing at her.
"So, what, are you asking me on a date now?" she asked raising her eyebrow.
"I was just asking what you want to do. Don't act like Carol."
"Take me to Avenue Street, 12A, please. And for the record, Mr. Connor, I don't do dating either."
He shook his head and chuckled. Maybe they weren't so different after all. In fact, they had more in common than they realized. They both struggled to be emotionally involved in relationships, both lacked trust.
Within five minutes, the car pulled up to her villa.
"Have a nice evening, Madisyn. See you tomorrow for the papers," Ethan said.
"Goodnight," she replied with a smile, waving as the car drove away.
"She seems nice. Are you seeing her?" the driver asked once they were far enough away.
"No, I'm not. She's just a family friend," Ethan answered flatly.
The driver nodded after a brief glance at him. "I see."
Madisyn went inside, changed into something more comfortable, took a quick shower, and checked her phone. As expected, a few messages from her sister lit up the screen. Then, more messages appeared but, this time from her best friend.
'I googled Joey Connor to check on him and guess what I found! He has a brother, and he's the hottest guy I've ever seen. Girl, you got the wrong brother!!'
Madisyn laughed at her friend's message, wishing she could tell her the truth.
'I don't want anyone whose last name is Connor anymore,' she replied before switching to her sister's messages. Her sister was asking how the date went.
She replied, saying it was a very boring date and that she didn't want to meet anyone else.
She didn't care about that honeymoon reservation anymore either. She wondered why her sister was still holding on to the topic so stubbornly.
After her usual skincare routine, she finally collapsed into bed, before falling asleep She found herself thinking about Ethan. He had treated that poor girl so badly, yet he never acted that way toward her. Maybe he wasn't as cruel and emotionless as he pretended to be. Or maybe he just pitied her.
She sighed, pushing the thoughts away, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
------------------------------
The next morning, she dressed in a simple outfit, applied her favorite perfume, and did light makeup: just mascara, concealer, and a bit of blush.
She planned to spend the day resting. As the days passed, Joey's absence felt less painful, less consuming. She was slowly starting to accept the breakup. Waking up alone wasn't as lonely anymore, and the huge house didn't feel as reclusive.
But the voice in her head still lingered, whispering in her weakest moments, reminding her how pitiful and unworthy she felt.
Will that voice ever stop?
She sighed.
At around nine, the doorbell rang.