I Lost The Game But Won In The End Chapter 08
Ethan’s father’s expression darkened.
“What did you say?”
“Zoe hasn’t done anything bad enough to deserve that.”
Ethan sat up straighter.
“What happened on the yacht was an impulsive mistake between the two of us, but everything she achieved at work, she earned on her own.”
“Why should she lose her job—or even have to leave the city—just because Nora and I broke up?”
I looked at him without the slightest surprise.
My mother hurried to mediate.
“Ethan, your uncle is only saying this for the two of you. Zoe is what Nora cares about most right now.”
“If she goes farther away, everyone can have some peace of mind.”
Ethan shook his head.
“There’s no need. I can promise not to see her alone, and I won’t cross any lines again.”
“But her own life can’t be destroyed because of this.”
My father’s face grew darker and darker.
“You’re still protecting her now?”
“I’m being reasonable!”
After saying it, Ethan turned to me.
“Nora, you know that too. It wasn’t easy for her to get where she is.”
I suddenly laughed.
“I know. Every one of you has reminded me.”
“She comes from a poor family, and she’s talented. It’s been very hard for her.”
Ethan paused.
“That’s not what I meant.”
His mother grew anxious too.
“Nora, don’t misunderstand. Ethan just has a strong sense of responsibility.”
“He promised to help Zoe before. He can’t suddenly turn his back on her now.”
To my surprise, my mother nodded too.
“Work is work. Feelings are feelings.”
As though the kiss had only been a moment of impulse.
As though four years of loving her were ancient history.
As though finding her a job had only been about recognizing talent.
As though bringing her into our social circle had only been a casual favor.
Put it all together, and somehow I was still the one making too much of things.
Ethan shifted closer to me.
“Nora, I can even promise you I won’t see her.”
I laughed out loud.
“There’s no need.”
Ethan’s expression slowly changed.
“Nora, I’ve already compromised this much. What exactly do you want me to do?”
I picked Biscuit up.
“I don’t want you to do anything. Help whoever you want. Protect whoever you want.”
“It has nothing to do with me anymore.”
My mother stood up anxiously.
“But so many people already know you two were going to get engaged.”
“If we suddenly cancel it, how are we supposed to explain?”
I looked at her.
“Tell the truth. Say we broke up.”
Everyone fell silent.
Ethan finally looked up at me.
“Once we make the breakup public, it’ll be really hard for us to go back to the way things were.”
I took out my phone in front of everyone, opened Instagram, and typed a post.
Ethan Sinclair and I have mutually decided to end our relationship. The engagement is off. Thank you for your kind wishes.
Post.
The first like appeared almost immediately.
Sloane.
I turned off the screen.
“You didn’t want to explain, so I did.”
“Now none of you have to.”
Zoe came to see me the next day.
At the café, she looked much more worn down than she had on the yacht.
No makeup. Swollen eyes.
After I sat down, the first thing she did was push a document envelope toward me.
“I’ve withdrawn from all these projects.”
I didn’t touch it.
“That has nothing to do with me.”
Her fingers drew back slightly.
“I’m planning to leave New York. The company is already arranging the handover.”
I looked up at her.
“Why?”
“What’s the point in staying?”
She gave a bitter smile.
“For the past few days, everyone in our circle has been saying you and Ethan canceled the engagement because of me.”
“People used to see me for what I could do. Now, the first thing they think of when they see me is Ethan.”
She lowered her head and stirred her coffee.
“You were right about one thing. I really did benefit from knowing you.”
“Those parties, those people… without you, I could have worked for years and still never gotten in.”
“But back then, I really thought we could keep going like that forever.”
I said nothing, because I had the feeling she still hadn’t said what she actually came to say.
A long time passed before she spoke softly.
“That kiss that day—I was the one who leaned in first.”
“I know he’ll never marry me. I know the two of you were going to get engaged.”
“But I just…”
Tears slipped down her face.
“I’ve loved him for too long.”
“I kept thinking that if I never even kissed him once, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”
Whenever she cried before, I would immediately hand her a tissue.
Now the tissues were right beside my hand, but I didn’t move.
She pulled one out herself.
After wiping her tears, she suddenly asked, “What if I leave? If I leave this place, never see Ethan again, and never accept any help from him again…”
“Would you get back together with him?”
I shook my head.
“No.”