The next day, Mia didn’t step out of her room. She lay in bed, curled up in a blanket, staring at nothing. Her eyes were swollen from crying all night, and she felt numb.
Her phone lay on the nightstand, untouched. She had stopped calling Alex. There was no point anymore. The truth was clear—he never loved her.
A soft knock on the door broke the silence. “Mia?” It was her mother’s voice, gentle but firm. “You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday. Please come out.”
Mia didn’t answer.
A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and her mother stepped inside. She sat on the edge of the bed, brushing Mia’s hair back from her face.
“I know it hurts,” she said softly. “But you can’t stay locked in here forever.”
Mia swallowed the lump in her throat. “I was so stupid,” she whispered. “He never even loved me. He used me.”
Her mother sighed, her expression filled with sympathy. “Loving someone isn’t stupid, Mia. Trusting the wrong person isn’t your fault.”
Mia shook her head. “Dad was right. I never make the right choices.”
Her mother hesitated before speaking. “Your father… he just doesn’t want you to get hurt. But he doesn’t always handle things the right way.”
They sat in silence for a while.
Then her mother stood up. “I’ll leave your food here. Eat when you’re ready.”
Mia didn’t move until her mother left.
She glanced at the tray of food on the table, but she had no appetite.
Then, for some reason, her mind drifted to Ethan.
She hadn’t spoken to him since the hospital. He had disappeared from her life, just like she wanted. But now, she couldn’t help but wonder…
Would he have warned her about Alex if they were still close?
Would he have stopped her from making this mistake?
Mia wiped her tears away. She didn’t know why, but suddenly, she wanted to see him.
Soon she came out of the room and decided to go to Ethan house.
Ethan stood at the doorway, stunned to see Mia standing there. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face pale. She looked nothing like the confident, stubborn girl he once knew.
“Mia?” His voice was calm, but his eyes held concern. “What are you doing here?”
Mia hesitated, gripping the hem of her sweater. She hadn’t planned what to say. She just… needed to see him.
“Can I come in?” she asked quietly.
Ethan stepped aside without a word, letting her enter. She walked into the familiar mansion, but it felt different now. Quieter. Colder.
Ethan shut the door and turned to face her. “What happened?”
Mia swallowed, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall again. “Alex…” she started, but her voice broke.
That was all Ethan needed to hear. His hands clenched into fists, his jaw tightening. He had never trusted Alex, but he didn’t expect things to turn out like this.
Mia looked down. “He lied to me. He used me for money. And then… he left.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Ethan exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm. “How much did he take?”
Mia hesitated before answering, “Sixty million.”
Ethan’s expression darkened, but he said nothing. He walked past her, heading toward the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned with a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Drink,” he said.
Mia took the glass and sipped, her hands trembling.
Ethan sat across from her, watching her closely. “And now you’re here,” he said, his voice softer. “Why?”
Mia met his gaze, her eyes filled with emotions she couldn’t explain. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just… I didn’t know where else to go.”
Ethan leaned back, studying her. For months, he had stayed away, giving her the space she wanted. He thought he had moved on.
But seeing her like this—broken, vulnerable—it reminded him why he had fallen for her in the first place.
And despite everything, he knew one thing for sure.
He wasn’t going to let her go through this alone.
He watched her cry silently,
"I just want to have breakfast" he said,
"why don't we have breakfast together" he added.
Mia wiped her tears quickly, embarrassed that she had broken down in front of Ethan. She wasn’t sure why she had come here, but now that she was, his calm presence felt oddly comforting.
“I… I don’t know if I can eat,” she mumbled, her voice still shaky.
Ethan sighed but didn’t push her. “You don’t have to eat much. Just sit with me,” he said as he stood up and walked toward the dining area.
Mia hesitated before following him. The dining table was already set with a light breakfast—toast, eggs, and fruit. Ethan poured her a glass of juice and pushed a plate toward her.
She stared at the food for a moment before picking up a fork and slowly taking a bite. Ethan watched her, eating silently.
After a few minutes, Mia broke the silence. “Aren’t you going to say ‘I told you so’?” she asked bitterly.
Ethan shook his head. “What’s the point? You’re already hurting.”
Mia looked down, touched by his words. She had expected him to be smug about being right about Alex, but instead, he was just… there. Quietly supporting her.
“You know, it’s okay to be angry,” Ethan said suddenly, looking at her.
Mia blinked at him. “Angry?”
“Yeah,” he said. “At him. At yourself. At everything.”
Mia clenched her fists. “I feel stupid. I trusted him. I thought…” Her voice broke again.
Ethan leaned forward. “You’re not stupid, Mia. You loved him. That’s not something to be ashamed of.”
Mia swallowed hard, holding back another wave of tears. “I just feel so empty now.”
Ethan exhaled, looking at her seriously. “Then fill that emptiness with something else. Yourself. Your happiness. People who actually care about you.”
Mia stared at him, his words sinking in. For the first time in days, she felt a tiny spark of warmth in her chest.