#Chapter 83 – Ethan’s Confession

How did it come to this? I think morosely. How did everything go so wrong so quickly?

I’d like to think I’ve been shielding the pups from the truth about what happened between Jane and I all those years ago for their own safety and peace of mind, but if I’m honest, I think I’ve been protecting myself. I know how horribly I messed up with Jane, and as badly as it hurt to see my former mate looking at me with that expression of utter betrayal, seeing it on the faces of my innocent pups is worse. When I left the house this morning I was their hero,

now I’m their villain.

“Why don’t you come sit down.” I suggest to the pups, hoping they’ll agree. How am I ever going to explain this to them? They’re too young to even understand a fraction of it.

Despite my tormented thoughts, they obey. One by one they toddle into the living room,

settling on the sofa while I take a seat on the edge of the coffee table in front of them. I search their young faces for any hint of

openness, but they all seem completely

closed off.

“Listen.” I begin, not even knowing where I’m going with this. “I made a lot of

mistakes in the past, and I did a lot of things

I’m not proud of, but I love you and I love

your Mommy more than anything.”

The quadruplets exchange meaningful glances, “what does that mean?” Ryder

questions.

“It means that it’s true. Eve tricked me into

believing something terrible about Mommy,

and… I punished her.” I confess, “I put her

on house arrest.”

“But how could you b’lieve Eve?” Riley

demands, clearly affronted on her mother’s

behalf.

“Because I didn’t know how evil she was

then.” I explain, “I don’t have any other

excuse. I was a fool – I let her make a fool of

me, and believing her is the biggest regret of

my life, second only to how I treated your Mommy afterwards.”

“Wha’s house arrest?” Parker inquired,

clearly distracted by my previous choice of

words.

“It’s like what Paisley said, a permanent

time out.” I share.

“So you made Mommy a prisner,” Riley

summarizes, “for something she didn’ do.’

“Yes.” I concede. “That’s right. I made her

I’ll never

more.”

their affection for

them. If

did to Jane, I’d

down. A little while ago I

them. I think forlornly,

A little voice says in

after

to Jane they wouldn’t be

was young and stupid. I argue back,

the blurry black

shades of youthful indiscretions,

I’m the evil man

you find out?” I ask them,

suddenly came

and I were both

Parker admits, looking

if I’ve just kicked a

To my horror, Riley,

actually flinch away

If I thought I felt

caution, softening my tone,

((

sorry. I was

were a monster.” Paisley murmurs, looking

simple.” I sigh, feeling a rush of pure hatred for the other man. “People

which are you?”

over at me.

man who was tricked into doing something terrible,

I can tell you is that I’m not the same man I was

understand.

They don’t.

that possible?” Riley demands, “you weren’t you then?”

state, dragging one large hand through my hair, “but people change as time passes. You’ll see when you get older, sometimes you can change so much over the years that you don’t even recognize the person you used to be, and having children is one of

understand.” Ryder

saying he

explains in

chuckle humorlessly, “I

I just… I

I can’t change the fact that I did it in the

})

before, but you’re not

now?” Parker

bad before.” I confirm, “And I’d like to think I’m not anymore, but that’s not for me to decide. It’s

think if he did the bad thing once, he could do it ‘gain.” Ryder contributes, gazing at me with

already in trouble’ gain. Was dis your fault too?” She asks me.

doing everything I can

mother.” I insist.

what’d you think?” Parker asks.

whimpers, “I love Daddy, an

‘I love Mommy.”

Mommy.” Riley reminds

})

Parker and Ryder put their

towards their low voices, I catch the tail

conversation. “I think we

much nicer

agrees.

Mommy’s

“I don’ want her to be scared. I think

we should leave.”

two murmur, pulling away and looking

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