4 Was he starting to fall in love with her?

"Sir, welcome back. Dinner is ready. Should I serve you now, or you'll freshen up, first?" Auntie Garcia asked. She had been in the kitchen when she heard him walk in. The woman's appearance was motherly, and she wore a white dress that was below her knees. The dress looked like the sort that maids often wore.

She had a smile line across her lips. Although, she was middle-aged, when she smiled, all the signs of age disappeared, leaving only a pleasant woman who was clearly very cheerful. Over the years, she had been taking care of Ethan. Even though she had children of her own, she never spent much time with them. She spent much of her time raising Ethan since he was born upto this moment.

He was like a son to her. After his mother's death, Garcia took the place of his mother.

"Thank you, Garcia. I'll freshen up first and then have dinner later," he responded, before he turned around to head upstairs.

"Um, sir," she called out.

"Yes, anything else you want to talk about?" he asked her.

"Miss Anderson is waiting for you in the study room," she told him.

"Didn't you tell her, I wasn't around, and I might not be back early?"

"Yes, sir. I told her, but she refused to go away. She requested to wait for you, and as your fiancee, I couldn't chase her away,"

"How long has she been here?" he asked her.

"She has been here for the last three hours, I guess,"

Ethan sighed as he frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair.

"Okay, I'll go see her," he simply said before aping up the stairs.

Chloe Anderson was his childhood friend. They grew up together, in the same neighborhood. Because of the good relationship between the two families, Ethan and Chloe were forced to commit to marry. Ethan had no feelings for her, except that he only saw as her his younger sister. Chloe, on the other hand, adored Ethan so much. Everyone could see that she had feelings for him.

Ethan aped up the stairs and only stopped at the entrance of the study room. The door to the study room was wide open. Chloe sat in an armchair, busy playing with her phone. She didn't notice Ethan come in. Ethan stared at the woman, and for a long time. He sighed. Ever since their parents forced them to be together, the woman had been pestering his life. He kept avoiding her, giving any excuse that he could come up with, just to stay away from her.

He never loved her. The only feelings he had for her, was the feeling between a brother and a sister. But, he couldn't tell her that, because, he could see clearly that she had feelings for him. And for that, he couldn't hurt her feelings.

"Hey, Ethan, you're back. Where have you been? I've been calling you but you weren't picking up?" she asked him when she noticed him standing at the door step.

She stood up and walked closer to him and embraced him. She missed him so much. Ethan, on the other hand, didn't hug her back. He didn't want to disappoint her, but he also didn't want to keep on lying to her and to himself. He thought he could make it work, with her. But, it just didn't work out.

Chloe didn't give much thought to his behavior. She knew, he never loved her. But, she was willing to give him time, because she loved him. Her father was rich, she was beautiful. She had everything in a woman, a man yearned for. Men would kill to have her. So, eventually, he would fall in love with her. That was what she believed.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned forward to give him a kiss on his lips. Ethan turned his head to the side before the kiss fell on his lips. He literally dodged the kiss.

"I know, you don't love me, but can't you just pretend even for a day? I really don't understand you anymore. What is it that you want me to do, so you can love me back? My dad is rich, I'm beautiful and there are so many men out there who would do anything to have me, but I chose you. What else do you want? Or am I not beautiful enough in your eyes? Or is there someone else in your heart?" she spoke bitterly, her eyes watery, tears threatening to escape through her eyes.

Ethan's mind went blank. Is there someone else in your heart? This question kept ringing in his head. He didn't know the answer. His mind went back to the incident that happened earlier today. The little woman he met, how she hugged him. And....and the string of beads she gave to him. His hand in his pocket, he held the rosary firmly as the memories started to flash through his mind. Was he starting to fall in love with her?

Clearing his head of the thoughts, he spoke again,

"I'm sorry Chloe, but I just can't pretend to love you when I don't. I only see you as my younger sister. There can never be anything between us," he made things clear to her .

"Like you said, you're beautiful, and men would do anything to have you. Why don't you try any other man out there, and maybe you will find your perfect match. I really don't love you," he told her the bitter truth.

"What are you saying, Ethan? I love you so much, and I don't want to be away from you," she said, in between sobs.

"Okay, fine, I will give you space and time to think clearly. You don't love me now, I'm sure you'll love me eventually. You just need time and space, I'm willing to give it to you," she tried to convince him. But, Ethan wasn't giving into her.

"There is nothing to think about, Chloe. Find someone else," he simply said and removed her hand which was holding him.

"No, Ethan! I don't want other men, it's you I want! Please, don't chase me out of your life." These words drained all her strength.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Chloe picked up her bag, ran out of the room, down the stairs and out of the mansion. At the door step, she met Devin.