Chapter 6

I'll never forget the way he swam straight toward Olivia when we both fell into the pool.

Even with the past five years wiped clean from my memory, and my love for him supposedly gone, my heart still clenched in that moment.

It was this dull, suffocating ache, like I was drowning all over again.

That must've been the 25-year-old me, struggling one last time not to go under.

Honestly, I'm glad I lost my memory. If I hadn't… if I still felt everything she did for Ethan back then, I think it might've killed me.

Ethan was stunned into silence. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

I can't swim. He saved Olivia. That's the reality.

If it weren't for Zack, I wouldn't be lying here alive.

"…I messed up," Ethan finally said, his voice low.

"Aria, it won't happen again."

"It doesn't matter," I said flatly. "After we're divorced, you can save whoever the hell you want. It won't have anything to do with me."

Ethan's arms tightened around me. "I know you're angry, but it's not what you think, "

He stopped, then added, "I don't agree to the divorce."

I let out a bitter laugh. "And who gave you the right to disagree?"

When both Olivia and I were in the water, drowning, he didn't hesitate, he chose her. He made it crystal clear where I stood in his life.

He didn't just abandon me. He did it in front of everyone.

What about my pride? Did I not even deserve that?

"Ethan, let me make this simple. This divorce? It's not up for debate."

His expression tightened, jaw clenching, but maybe he knew he was in the wrong, because he didn't lash out.

Instead, he pushed me gently onto the bed, holding my waist to keep me from getting up. "Get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Let go of me!" I hissed through gritted teeth. "Ethan, don't make me use force!"

He let out a dry laugh. "With those soft punches of yours? You're gonna threaten me?"

I gritted my teeth and kicked, hard, aiming for the one spot no man wanted to be hit.

His face twisted in pain, but before I could pull my leg back, he grabbed my ankle and pressed it against his stomach. "You don't want me now, fine. But don't go damaging the goods."

He softened unexpectedly, brushing a kiss across my forehead. "Alright, enough. I messed up. I'll make it right, okay?"

My temples throbbed. My head was splitting.

I didn't know how obedient the 25-year-old me used to be, but apparently, even after this, Ethan still thought he could just patch things up and move on.

What did he take me for?

I clenched my fists and started pounding on his chest, again and again. It didn't hurt him, but it definitely kept him from sleeping.

His face darkened. In one swift motion, he grabbed both my wrists and pinned me beneath him.

"Can't sleep?" he muttered, eyes narrowed. "Then how about we do something else?"

He leaned down, about to kiss me.

But before he could, my face went ghost-white. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

"It hurts…" I gasped, trembling all over.

Ethan froze, his whole body tense. "Did I hurt you? Where?"

For a split second, he looked… scared. Like he actually cared.

But I shut that thought down immediately. No way.

A man who didn't even flinch watching me drown wasn't suddenly going to care about my bruised wrists.

I bit my lip, staying silent.

He grew more anxious. "Tell me where it hurts, Aria. Please."

Then a faint, metallic scent filled the air, blood.

Ethan looked down and finally noticed the bandage he was gripping.

It was soaked through.

He'd always assumed I was bluffing. Emotional blackmail, he called it. It never occurred to him the knife wound might be real.

He carefully peeled the bandage away, only to reveal the ugly, open gash underneath.

His pupils constricted.

"…Aria."

I pulled my hand back, ignoring the pain. My voice was cold. "Happy now? Satisfied?"

His face twisted, like he'd just been slapped. "You actually did it?" His voice was rough. "Who told you it was okay to try and kill yourself?!"

I locked eyes with him. "Oh? Now you care? You watched me almost drown, Ethan!"

That hit home. His gaze faltered, like the truth physically hurt to hear.

"I'll call a doctor," he finally said, voice tight.

When the doctor arrived, she came too.

Olivia.

She'd already changed, dry clothes, hair tied back, playing the sweet, innocent girl to a tee.

She lingered nervously in the doorway. "Ethan… is she okay?"

He didn't even look at her. "You should go rest. This has nothing to do with you."

"But I feel responsible…" she whispered, biting her lip, trying to look small. "You almost let Aria drown because of me…"

I sat up and cut her off with a cold laugh. "Wow. And the Academy Award goes to…"

Her face stiffened.

"Too bad there aren't any security cameras by the pool," I added, voice ice-cold. "If Ethan had heard the crap you said to me right before we fell in, I wonder what he'd think of you now?"