Chapter 6: Promise of Forever

Before I could reply, another message popped up.

*If you’re still not free, I’ll have to talk to your boss.*

*Exploiting employees—should be no problem to file a labor complaint.*

"…"

Lawyers are scary.

Suddenly, I remembered what I’d told my mom about "getting divorced and losing everything."

…Now it seemed possible.

I replied immediately:

*I’m free.*

Ethan invited me to a movie. It was science fiction.

So if I fell asleep during the movie, it wasn’t my fault! I tried to psych myself up, but halfway through, my eyelids drooped.

I was startled awake by a loud explosion in the film. I sat up in shock. The next second, I heard Ethan’s muffled laughter beside me.

"You were good at science in school. I thought you’d like this genre."

I was a little embarrassed. "I don’t get it."

"Then let’s not watch it."

He led me out of the theater. I thought the date was over, but he took me to the ticket counter again.

"Pick another one."

A newly released romance movie had good reviews. But I felt awkward watching it with Ethan, with where we were at. I hesitated, biting my lip.

Seeing I hesitated, the ticket seller chimed in, "This romance movie is pretty good—great for couples."

"…"

Ethan looked at me. "Don’t want to watch it?"

"No."

"Then let’s watch this one?"

I hesitated, then nodded.

The soonest showing was in the couple’s theater. If we picked a later one, it would seem too deliberate, so we just went for it. My heart fluttered as we walked in.

Inside, I sat pressed against the edge of the couple’s sofa. Ethan sat casually, not crossing into my half. The armrest between us felt like a wall and a bridge at the same time.

Halfway through, the male and female leads reunited, embraced, and kissed after a long separation. At first, I was touched. Then I noticed the couple in front of us seemed to be kissing too…

Even though I wasn’t the one kissing, my face instantly heated up. I glanced at Ethan. He wasn’t looking at me, eyes still on the screen. His profile was calm, but I could see a hint of a smile.

I let out a breath.

But before I could calm down, Ethan leaned closer and whispered, "Focus on the movie."

I felt called out. "You’re not focusing either."

Ethan chuckled. "Then tell me, why am I not focusing?"

After that, I couldn’t focus at all. My mind was full of what Ethan had said. The movie faded into background noise.

After the movie, I went to the restroom. Ethan waited outside.

I’d been feeling a bit unwell. I thought I just needed the bathroom. But after going, I realized my period had started—a week early, and I wasn’t prepared at all. The panic set in fast.

Embarrassed, I stayed in the restroom for a long time. About ten minutes later, as expected, Ethan messaged me.

*You okay in there?*

I didn’t know how to reply. My face burned as I stared at the screen.

Two minutes later—

*What’s wrong?*

*Stomachache?*

I sighed and replied. Actually, my legs were getting numb from squatting.

*Yeah, my period came…*

*No pads?*

I closed my eyes and steeled myself.

*Yeah.*

*Wait for me.*

Ten minutes later, someone knocked on my stall door. A girl’s voice: "Hi, are you Maggie?"

"Yes."

She passed a pack of pads to me under the door. "Your boyfriend asked me to give you this."

"Thank you so much."

Boyfriend?

I couldn’t help but smile. It sounded pretty good. The word echoed in my head as I washed my hands.

When I came out, Ethan was waiting outside. I finally started to feel embarrassed.

"Thank you."

He looked down at me and said softly, "No need to thank me."

I didn’t say another word on the way back. After all, who else but me would make a guy buy pads on a first date?

He seemed to sense my mood.

"It’s okay. I want to do these things for you."

After a short break, life returned to busy work. Ethan’s words—not quite confessions, but close—left things ambiguous. I’ve never been the proactive one in relationships. My hesitance seems to have only grown with age. If he doesn’t take the initiative, I’d rather miss out—even though I know I like him. The fear of reaching out first never really goes away. It’s always there, lurking.

One day, I got a call from an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?"

"Maggie, it’s your uncle."

That voice made my scalp tingle instantly. I hung up right away. The old panic rushed in, full force.

Old shadows returned to my mind.

It was a nightmare of a night. My mom was traveling for work, so I stayed at my aunt’s during summer break. That day, my aunt had a company dinner and came home late. My uncle came home drunk, saw me, and started yelling. First, he blamed me for his son’s failures—said I was too good, made his kid look bad. Then, he told me I shouldn’t have been born. Finally, in a rage, he hit me. I can still hear the words echoing in my head.

In twenty years, no one had ever hit me. But that night, he punched and kicked me. In the struggle, my clothes were torn, and I could feel his intent turn ugly, predatory—he started pawing at me, trying to tear at my clothes…

But my aunt happened to come home just then. The worst was avoided, but it left a permanent scar. The memory clung to me, heavy and suffocating.

Afterward, I wanted to call the police, but my aunt and uncle stopped me. My aunt begged in tears, "Maggie, look, nothing happened, right? If your uncle goes to jail, our family is finished!"

My uncle was defiant: "Go ahead and report. If you do, you’ll just embarrass yourself."

I don’t know how I made it through that time. No one but them knew—not even my mom. Even now, I panic just thinking about it.

I sat at my desk, shaking, eyes red and filled with tears. My coworkers were alarmed and asked what was wrong. I forced myself to say, "It’s nothing. I don’t feel well, I’ll take the rest of the day off."

When I got home, I found my uncle sitting on my living room sofa. He turned when he heard the door, a greasy smile on his face. "Maggie, why’d you hang up when I called?"

My first instinct was to run. At the entrance to my apartment complex, I ran straight into someone’s arms.

"Sorry, sorry."

I kept my head down, apologizing over and over, tears streaming uncontrollably. My hands shook as I tried to steady myself.

"Maggie Sullivan."

"…"

Ethan bent down to meet my eyes, his expression unreadable. After a while, he wiped away my tears.

"What’s wrong?"

I turned away. "It’s nothing."

He called my name again:

"Maggie. Can you trust me?"

I calmed down in Ethan’s car for a long time. The city lights blurred past as I tried to catch my breath.

"Ethan."

He never took his eyes off me. "Yeah."

"Can I stay at your place tonight?"

He looked at me in silence for a moment. "You can."

Ethan drove me to his place—a bachelor apartment he’d bought after law school. I hesitated at the door, my keys jangling in my hand.

"It’s a one-bedroom…"

He just said, "Yeah."

"How will I stay…"

"It’s fine, you stay here. I’ll go to a hotel."

I already felt bad for bothering him; making him go to a hotel was too much.

"No, I’ll go to a hotel instead."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, still looking at me. His tone was meaningful: "Then I’ll go to the hotel with you."

"…"

What kind of logic is that?

"Or you can just stay here with me."

He seemed surprised I’d say that. Ethan paused for a few seconds, then slowly said, "Okay."

???

Why doesn’t he play by the rules?

But since I’d said it, I couldn’t take it back.

The final arrangement—Ethan slept on the couch, I took the bed.

That night, I lay with my eyes closed for over an hour, unable to sleep. I called out tentatively, "Ethan."

No response for a long time. He must’ve fallen asleep.

"Ethan, I didn’t mean to keep things from you."

My voice was very quiet. "It’s just that this hurt me a lot. I still need some time."

After a while, Ethan’s low, hoarse voice came:

"I’ll protect you. Don’t be afraid."

His words made my nose sting. After thinking for a while, I asked the question.

"Ethan, what are we now?"

He answered without hesitation:

"I’m pursuing you."

My heart pounded at his words. I didn’t reply, just tried to fall asleep. After a while, just as I was about to drift off, he added, "The words on that note still count."

After work the next day, I called my mom and made sure my uncle had left before going home. But I saw him waiting at the entrance to my apartment complex.

Or rather, he was waiting for me on purpose.

"Maggie!" He spotted me, too.

I ignored him and hurried home. Unexpectedly, he strode up and grabbed my arm.

I struggled to break free. "Let go of me!"

"Why so distant with your uncle?"

I couldn’t shake him off. "What do you want?!"

He grinned, leering. "Heard you have a boyfriend now. Does he know about your past?"

At that, I started trembling all over. He tried to drag me to his car. His words pulled me back to the past. I shook uncontrollably, unable to resist.

Just as he was about to force me into the car, a slender hand grabbed his shoulder.

"You little—"

Before my uncle could finish, Ethan punched him. He staggered back several steps.

Ethan pulled me behind him. "Don’t be afraid."

My uncle cursed when he realized what happened. He rolled up his sleeves and tried to fight back. Ethan dodged with me, then kicked him in the stomach.

"Ouch!"

My uncle clutched his stomach and fell to the ground. Seeing him in pain, I remembered myself back then—curled up on the ground, not knowing whether to protect my head or my stomach first. I almost thought I wouldn’t survive that night…

My uncle kept yelling, "He hit me! Is there no justice?!"

A crowd gathered. Ethan squeezed my hand, signaling me to let go. He turned his head slightly. "Trust me."

Ethan took out his phone and dialed 911. He explained the situation to the police, then, in a voice as loud as my uncle’s, said confidently:

"You want justice? Let’s talk. Forcibly dragging a woman into a car is kidnapping. That’s enough for a few years in prison, isn’t it?"

The crowd immediately turned on my uncle. They pointed and whispered.

My uncle was so scared he didn’t dare say a word and tried to run. Ethan quickly kicked his knee. My uncle fell to the ground.

"Ouch! You hit me! Hitting people is a crime too!"

Ethan sneered. "I’ve already hit you once. Might as well make it count."

My uncle was so stunned he didn’t dare say anything.

Soon, the police arrived. The three of us were taken to the station. My uncle complained the whole way that Ethan hit him. Ethan ignored him and whispered to me, "It’s over."

His words calmed me down.

At the station, we gave statements. Ethan’s actions were ruled as self-defense—not enough for detention.

The police said, "You can go."

After leaving the station, Ethan and I went back to his apartment. I sat on the couch, thinking about what happened. "Will he really go to jail?"

Ethan poured me a glass of water. "No, I was just scaring him. At most, he’ll get a couple weeks in county."

My nerves tensed up again. Ethan sat next to me, looking at me. After a while, he sighed.

"Maggie, am I that unworthy of your trust?"

I lowered my head. "No."

"If you want him in jail, I can help you."

He paused. "I know I shouldn’t ask, but I need to know the truth to help you. Maggie, no matter what happened before, you can always count on me."

My tears fell uncontrollably. Having someone who will stand by me no matter what—I had no reason to hold back.

I gathered my thoughts, using all my courage. Choking up a bit, I said, "Ten years ago, during college summer break, my mom had to travel for work, so I stayed at their house. One night, my aunt had a company dinner and came home late. My uncle came home drunk…"

Ethan didn’t speak, just listened quietly.

"He went from yelling at me to beating me. Then, while I fought back, my clothes were torn… He started pawing at me, trying to tear at my clothes…"

Ethan’s brows furrowed, and he put his arm around my shoulders.

I forced a smile. "I’m fine. My aunt came home just in time, so he didn’t succeed."

Ethan looked at me for a long time, then gently patted my head. His voice was full of guilt.

"I thought you were doing well all these years. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you then."

I took Ethan’s advice. I decided to press charges against my uncle, Richard Sullivan.

My mom found out and cried her heart out, holding me.

A month later, the court session was held. Ethan appeared as my lawyer. I’d never seen him so serious in court. In my memory, he was still that slightly mischievous boy.

"Court is adjourned."

Another month later, the verdict came out. Richard Sullivan was convicted of attempted sexual assault and sentenced to eight years in prison.

When I heard the verdict, I was so excited I could barely speak.

The thing I’d hidden for so many years, the thing I thought I’d never be able to face, finally had a resolution.

I asked Ethan out for a meal to thank him. Also, this time, I wanted to take the initiative—just for him.

I booked the same restaurant and private room as our blind date. This time, I waited for him.

When Ethan arrived, I summoned my courage. My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it.

"Ethan, I have something to tell you."

"Hmm? If it’s to thank me, you don’t need to."

I smiled and shook my head.

I took a breath. "Because you’re wonderful in every way, the universe wants to reward you with a girl who will only have eyes for you from now on." I looked at him, nervous. "Ethan, I like you."

Ethan froze. He stared at me, the corners of his lips slowly curling up.

"Alright, I’ll accept this reward."

I looked at him, a little uncertain. "So are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

At that, Ethan couldn’t help but laugh. "Yes."

My lips curled up at his answer. I said what I wanted to say: "That note—I only saw it recently. Back then, I actually liked you too."

Ethan stopped laughing and switched to a playful tone. "I knew it. How could someone as great as me fail at confessing?"

"…Is it too late to take back what I just said?"

Ethan drawled, "Don’t even think about it."

After leaving the restaurant, we got in the elevator again. This time, I pressed B1 directly. Ethan smiled subtly. When I got out at B1, Ethan didn’t. I went back in.

"What’s wrong?"

He glanced at me and reminded me kindly, "Did you forget something?"

"Huh?"

The next second, Ethan took my hand. His fingertip traced the back of my hand. He said slowly, "Now do you remember?"

Ethan took me to Target. He said he wanted to buy some things for me to keep at his place. After we picked out all the daily necessities, he took me to the snacks aisle.

He grabbed a bag of Lay’s off the shelf. "I remember you used to like these, right?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, I still do."

As we walked, a young couple passed by, flirting. I stared for a moment, suddenly realizing we were already thirty—not exactly kids anymore.

"Ethan, are we old?"

He laughed. "What are you talking about?"

I felt a little down. "We can’t be as passionate as young couples anymore."

Ethan looked down at me. "Going to Target and coming home with you already makes me happy."

He paused. "To me, this is passion."

After getting home, Ethan put away everything we bought. He took a key off his ring and handed it to me.

"Come whenever you want. Treat this as your home."

I just stared at him quietly.

"What’s wrong?"

I answered honestly, "I feel like you’re a treasure—I want to hide you."

Ethan smiled. "Where would you hide me?"

I thought about it seriously. Nowhere seemed to work.

"Hmm… maybe I’ll just eat you."

Ethan looked down at me, our eyes meeting. Only then did I realize what I’d said. His eyes darkened, and he smiled. "Then give it a try."

Before I could respond, he kissed me. Just for a moment, then pulled away. His forehead rested against mine, his breath warm.

His voice was hoarse. "Does it taste good?"

I was so nervous I held my breath, my face burning as I avoided his eyes. The next second, he kissed me again. His lips were warm, gradually soothing my nerves. I closed my eyes and kissed him back. I don’t know how long it lasted.

He slowly wiped the moisture from my lips with his finger, voice rough. "I like you."

This time, I didn’t look away. "I like you too."

Ethan and I dated for nearly a year.

One day, near the end of work, Ethan messaged me. He asked me to pick up a document from his friend’s apartment after work—he was working late and couldn’t go himself.

I took a Lyft to the address he sent me. I found the apartment and knocked. After almost a minute, a stranger answered.

"Hey, Ethan asked me to pick up a document for him."

"Okay, come in."

I thought it was unnecessary to go in just to get a document, but since it was Ethan’s friend, I went in. Inside, I was drawn to the minimalist decor—it was my favorite style. Whenever I saw it in videos, I couldn’t help but look a few more times. The space felt familiar, almost like home.

He said he’d get the document from the room and told me to wait in the living room. But the one who came out wasn’t him. It was Ethan.

I was surprised. "Why are you here?"

He didn’t answer, just smiled and walked toward me. The next moment, he knelt on one knee. I instantly understood what he was about to do.

"I’m not good with sappy words, but I know one thing for sure: I only want to spend my life with you."

As he spoke, he took a ring box from his suit pocket and opened it—a heart-shaped diamond ring. His voice trembled with excitement:

"Maggie Sullivan, will you marry me?"

I looked into his eyes. As long as it’s with him, I’m willing for whatever comes. He’ll never let me lose, so—

"I will."

With tears in my eyes, I smiled and held out my hand. After he put the ring on me, he hugged me.

Suddenly, the room door opened. My mom, Ethan’s parents, and our friends all came out. Everyone gathered around us, cheering. I laughed through my tears, overwhelmed by love.

Scenes like this had played in my dreams countless times. Now, it became a memory.

After the excitement, everyone left together. I followed them out, but Ethan grabbed me.

He drawled, "Where are you going, fiancée?"

I was confused. "Home, of course."

He suddenly laughed. "This is our home."

I didn’t get it. "Huh?"

He smiled and ruffled my hair. "I bought it when we first got together, but it was unfinished then. Now it’s ready to live in."

He took my hand and showed me each room. "This is the master bedroom—we’ll live here. This is the kids’ room."

I looked at the all-pink kids’ room and burst out laughing. "What if we have a son?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. "Let him be. He doesn’t get to pick."

I laughed so hard I could barely stand. He continued, "These two are guest rooms—for relatives and friends."

Looking at his serious face, I suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips.

"Thank you."

Thank you for letting me know I’m worthy of love.

Ethan whispered, "Didn’t I say you don’t need to thank me?"

The next second, he kissed me again. Between kisses, he mumbled:

"This is your punishment."

That day, we got up early. He wore a white shirt, so did I. We held hands and walked into the courthouse. The morning was bright, the air crisp with the promise of something new.

"Wait."

Ethan stopped me as I was about to sit and fill out the forms.

"What?"

He opened his phone camera, casual. "Let’s take our last photo as a couple."

We smiled happily at the camera together—just like our first photo in high school. The flash caught our laughter, freezing the moment forever.

We filled out our marriage application forms. I nervously watched the clerk review our documents. Ethan squeezed my hand tighter. We smiled at each other.

When the stamp came down, our youth finally had its answer.

[The End]