Ethan stayed up most of the night, his mind swirling with anger and frustration. He couldn’t shake the image of Tania grabbing Grace, her twisted words echoing in his ears. It had taken everything in him not to lose control right there in the hallway.
The next morning, Ethan sent Grace to school early, wanting to ensure she was out of the house before he talked to Tania again. When he returned home, Tania was in the kitchen, her eyes puffy from lack of sleep but defiant as ever.
“We need to talk,” Ethan said, his voice calm but firm.
Tania glanced up at him, her jaw tight. “About what? About how you’re abandoning me? About how you’ve chosen her over me?”
Ethan crossed his arms. “This isn’t about choosing sides, Tania. This is about what you’ve done. I don’t care what excuses you have, you crossed a line when you hurt Grace.”
Tania rolled her eyes. “You’re blowing this out of proportion. Grace will be fine. She’s a spoiled little girl who needs discipline.”
Ethan slammed his fist on the counter, causing Tania to jump. “You’re delusional if you think this is about discipline. You are blaming an innocent child for your own failures Tania. And now, you’re going to answer for it.”
Tania’s eyes flickered with fear for a brief moment before she hardened again. “I did what I had to do, Ethan. You don’t know what it was like, being second to Ella, she was always on top, getting first in everything, she’s just always there. And Grace… she’s not even yours, yet you treat her like she’s the center of your world!”
Ethan glared at her. “Because she is my daughter. Whether or not she’s biologically mine, she’s the only one who matters to me now. And as for you, Tania, I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Tania’s lips trembled, and for a moment, Ethan thought he saw a crack in her icy exterior. But she quickly composed herself, her eyes narrowing. “If you leave me, I’ll make sure you regret it, Ethan. You think you can just walk away from this? From me?”
Ethan’s face was a mask of cold resolve. “This is already over, Tania. You lost the moment you let your jealousy and greed destroy everything good in our lives.”
Without waiting for her response, Ethan turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Tania alone once again with her crumbling world.
As Ethan drove away from the house, his phone buzzed with a message. It was from Ella.
“I’ll meet you at noon, like we planned,” it read.
Ethan’s heart quickened. This meeting with Ella wasn’t just about the past. It was about the future about making things right, once and for all.