The Illusion Of Us

(TWIST) CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The morning was draped in a quiet anticipation as Ava made her way to Ethan's apartment, her heart heavy with a mix of dread and resolve. She had planned this visit, needing to confront the past and find closure. Knocking on the door, she waited, but silence greeted her. Nate had mentioned Ethan was likely at home today, off from his hospital shifts. The lack of response worried her, and on impulse, she tried the door, surprised to find the pin code unchanged.

Stepping inside, the apartment enveloped her in a wave of familiarity. Everything was as they left it; the furniture they picked out together, the decorations she had lovingly placed, the photos of them smiling from the walls and tables. It was a museum of their shared history, untouched by time, and Ava's tears flowed, unbidden, as memories washed over her.

Then, Ethan appeared, his expression one of concern as he noticed her tears. "Why is everything still the same here, Ethan?" Ava managed to ask through her sobs, her voice laden with the weight of their past.

Ethan, visibly taken aback by her emotional state, struggled for words. "I... I couldn't bring myself to change anything," he finally said, his voice thick with emotion. "Every part of this place reminds me of you, of us. I kept everything as it was, hoping... somehow it would bring you back."

Ava listened, a turmoil of feelings swirling inside her. Here, surrounded by the echoes of their once shared life, she needed to find the words to end a chapter that had long since closed in her heart.

"I didn't expect to see you here..." Ethan's smile wavered as he took a step closer. "Does this mean—"

Ava interrupted him, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging within. "Ethan, I'm not here to get back together," she said, watching his expression fall. "I came to tell you... it's time for you to live your life. Move forward from the past, Ethan, because I won't be coming back." Her words tumbled out, mixed with tears that wouldn't stop. 

As tears welled in Ethan's eyes, Ava's heart ached. "Ethan, hurting you is the last thing I want," she assured softly, her voice trembling. "Please know that. But I don't want you to keep waiting for me, nor do I want you to carry the guilt of the past any longer." Touching his face tenderly, her smile conveyed a different depth of affection. "You'll always hold a special place in my heart, but that's where it ends. My heart belongs to someone else now, and I want to give him all the love he deserves."

"It's Fred, isn't it? I've noticed the way you two looked at each other," Ethan said, his voice revealing a hint of resignation.

"Yes," Ava confirmed, her reply simple yet laden with the weight of her decision.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still between them. The air was thick with the history of their shared past, each memory a sharp sting of what was and what could never be again. Ethan's eyes, once brimming with hope, now reflected the raw ache of loss. "Ava, I...," he started, his voice breaking, "I just wanted you to be happy, truly. If he's what makes you happy, then I can't stand in the way of that."

His admission, honest and heart-wrenching, drew a deep, sobbing breath from Ava. She stepped forward, closing the gap between them with a hug that was both a goodbye and a thank you—a final acknowledgment of their shared past and the closure they both needed.

Ethan held her tightly, his embrace a silent confession of his love and his reluctant acceptance of their farewell. As the time came to pull apart, he hesitated, the simple act of letting go feeling like an insurmountable task. A solitary tear escaped, marking the silent agony of his heart. With great effort, he loosened his hold, their eyes meeting in a moment laden with shared history and unfulfilled dreams. "Be happy, Ava," he whispered, the words a fervent wish for her future, his voice heavy with emotion and a deep-seated desire for her well-being.