#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

prisoner, and I’ll never regret

more.”

their affection for

don’t blame them. If

mother what I did to Jane, I’d

things have flipped upside down. A little while ago I was happier than

them. I think forlornly,

your own fault. A

after

so cruel to Jane they wouldn’t be

stupid. I

understand the

of youthful

complexities of growth and redemption. To them I’m the evil man

you find out?” I ask

this suddenly came up after

I were both out all

us.” Parker admits, looking at

if I’ve just kicked

I growl. To

and Ryder actually

lash out at them. If I thought I felt ashamed before, it’s nothing compared to how terrible I

now,” I caution, softening my

((

was just

were a monster.” Paisley murmurs, looking as though the

a rush of pure hatred for the other man. “People aren’t angels or demons. Good people do bad

are you?” Ryder asks

over at me.

into doing something terrible, but I don’t know if your Mommy

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

understand.

They don’t.

demands, “you

you get older, sometimes you can change so much over the years

understand.”

he’s saying he has

explains in

humorlessly, “I

I just… I

the fact that I did it in

})

were bad before,

Parker

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

did the bad thing once, he could do it ‘gain.” Ryder

gain. Was dis your fault too?” She asks

everything I

mother.” I insist.

you think?” Parker asks.

dunno.” She whimpers, “I love Daddy,

‘I love Mommy.”

Riley reminds her, “He locked her up.’

})

say a word, Riley, Parker and Ryder put their heads together, murmuring to each other under

their low voices, I catch the

of their conversation. “I think we should leave.” Riley is saying. 1

much nicer to Mommy.”

agrees.

Mommy’s scared.” Parker

don’ want her to be scared. I think

we should leave.”

The other two murmur, pulling away and looking curiously

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