Grace's POV
"Ethan..." Victor Carter murmured, stunned.
I turned back immediately. Ethan looked at us in shock. He traveled his eyes from me to his grandfather and vice versa.
"Is it true?" He asked, looking into my eyes as he walked in.
I bit my lower lip, staring at him. Tears were still running down my cheeks.
"Ethan..." Victor said.
He raised his hand in the air, cutting Victor off without taking his eyes off me. I nodded. His eyes welled up. Suddenly, he rushed towards me and hugged me tightly. I hugged him back.
"I am sorry. I am sorry." He repeated, crying.
A few seconds later, he pulled back and wiped his tears off his cheeks. He gritted his teeth as he plunged his eyes into Victor's eyes.
"I will never forgive you." He stated angrily, shaking his finger at him.
"I did it for your sake. She doesn't love you. She just uses you." Victor said, giving me a dirty look.
"Grandpa!" Ethan exclaimed. He looked furious. "I don't want to disrespect you, but don't push my buttons. I am barely holding myself." He warned him, clenching his fist. Then Ethan grabbed my hand and dragged me out with him.
As soon as we got in his car, he started the car. He was driving fast. His muscles were tense. His fingers wrapped around the steering wheel tightly.
He parked his car in front of his penthouse building and got out of the car. I got out of the car too and followed him.
As soon as we walked into his penthouse, he poured a glass of whiskey for himself and drank it in a sip.
I approached him and placed my hand on his arm. He pulled his arm away angrily and gave me a furious glare.
"Ethan..."
"I am angry at you. I am angry at my grandpa. Because of you, I didn't see my son's birth. I couldn't be beside you when you heard his heartbeats the first time, when you learned his gender, when he kicked your stomach. I missed all of these." He snapped angrily as his eyes welled up.
I pursed my lips together, looking at him sadly. Tears shimmered in my eyes.
"Both of you tried to steal my life, my son from me. You with your distrust of my love and me, and my grandpa with making decisions in my place, thinking that he was right. He destroyed my life. Damn it! A year! Without the woman who I love like crazy, and my own blood and flesh, my son." He barked and ran his hand through his hair angrily. "I hate both of you. I hate." He shouted, gripping his hair and pushed everything off the table. I jolted in fear.
"Ethan." I pleaded, crying.
Seeing him in this state made my heart sink. I approached him and tried to hold his hand. He wanted to pull his hand away, but I didn't let him and held his hand in my hands.
"I am sorry. I am really sorry. But I was so young. I felt vulnerable, helpless. I was afraid of your grandpa. He is a powerful and intimidating man. I...." I paused and shook my head. I sighed and continued. "I wanted to protect my family and son. Our son. We were so young. I thought you couldn't stand against your grandpa. I accept it. And I hadn't the strength to stand against him alone." I explained.
He gave me a fake smile and pulled his hand away angrily.
"You ruined everything. You destroyed me with your own hands." He stated, giving me a loathing look. He narrowed his eyes, thinking and added. "Yes...You decided to leave me when you asked me about having children. Oh my goodness!" He said, running his hands through his hair. He shook his head in disbelief. He took a deep breath. "If you don't mind, I want to be alone." He added dryly.
"Ethan..."
"Leave, Grace! Just leave!" He barked.
I sighed and grabbed my bag. I gave him an apologetic look. He turned around, placing his hands into his pockets. I nibbled my lower lip as tears ran down my cheeks. I left without saying anything.
****
As Nathan fell asleep, I placed him in his crib. I pulled a blanket over his body. I stroked his silky blond hair.
Suddenly, the doorbell hummed. I went to open the door quickly so that it didn't wake Nathan up.
"Ethan?" I looked at him, surprised.
"Umm...Could we talk?" He asked and bit his lower lip nervously. I nodded and allowed him in.
"Would you like something to drink?" I asked.
"No, thanks." He muttered. He looked around and asked. "Where is Nathan?"
"He is sleeping." I responded. He nodded, giving me a half smile.
"I...I am sorry. That day...I was really overwhelmed." He said, giving me an apologetic look.
"Don't worry. I understand you. It wasn't easy for you." I commented.
"When I think about what you got through because of my grandpa, I get mad." He confessed and entwined his hands, leaning his elbows on his thighs.
"I admit it wasn't easy for me. In the city that I hadn't seen before; and pregnant. Away from you, my family and my friends. I missed you so much. My parents don't still know about Nathan. I couldn't tell them, because they would tell you. I was afraid of that if Victor found out about Nathan, he could do something to him. I couldn't take a risk." Ethan gritted his teeth, looking away. "But fortunately, I met Greta. She helped me a lot in my bad days. Because of that, I came back when you blackmailed me."
"Like my grandpa." He commented sadly. I bit my lower lip without saying anything. "I hate him, but I acted like him. A ruthless..." He shook his head without finishing his sentence.
"I know you, Ethan. You don't look like him. Don't compare yourself to him." I reassured him.
"No. I wanted to get revenge. When you left me, my world collapsed. I felt so hurt. The timing was especially bad. I....I was going to propose to you." He confessed. My eyes widened in surprise.
"What?" I mumbled.
He stood up and approached me. He bent down in front of me and held my hands in his.
"I am so sorry, Grace. Please, forgive me." He gave me a begging look. "I love you so much. I never stopped to love you. As much as I tried to forget you, I failed again and again." He confessed honestly, looking into my eyes.
"I love you too, Ethan." I admitted and hugged him.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. Now we were sitting on the floor, in each other's arms. I cupped his cheek and brushed my lips against his.