Chapter 61

I smiled at Ethan as he got out of the car. Of course Olivia would be staying with us, why would I expect anything different if she needed help?

If he noticed that the smile was fake or forced, he didn’t say anything. He opened his door and ran to the passenger side to open the door for me. I grinned again, putting my best efforts into an unbothered expression.

Ethan never noticed. He helped me out of the car, and led me inside where Mars and Olivia were waiting for us. Olivia looked up from the kitchen table where she was sitting, and beamed at me with the biggest grin I’d ever seen across her face.

“Ava!” She jumped up and ran to me, enveloping me in a tight bear-hug.

“I’m so happy for you!” I squealed, genuinely meaning it to an extent. I was happy for her, and a little tiny bit jealous at the same time. Was that possible?

Ethan and Mars stood back, giving us our moment to celebrate together, and Olivia stepped away with a slight blush.

“I’m sorry for being so intense there,” She giggled bashfully. Then she looked at Ethan, who was standing a little behind me. “And you!”

She jumped towards him as well, giving him a hug that was not quite so excitable.

Ethan enveloped her in a hug, gripping her tightly to him. That weird feeling burned a hole in my stomach, but I tried my best not to show it on my face. I genuinely liked Olivia, I wished I didn’t feel so conflicted about her and Ethan being together.

Olivia took the room next to mine once Ethan told her to get settled in. Mars left to collect some things from her house to make it easier for her to get comfortable at Ethan’s place. The two men were worried that if Olivia stayed at her house, Andrew would come looking for her.

The first few days were easier than I thought they would be, but not perfect. I constantly found Ethan and Olivia together, giggling, whispering jokes to one another, and eating breakfast at the same time.

I bit back whatever negative emotions I was constantly feeling. I did everything I could to grin and bear it, pretending that it never bothered me.

But it did bother me. The relationship they had bothered me a lot. They were so friendly towards each other, and the way they smiled - A bitter taste constantly bit at the back of my mouth, dancing on my tongue.

Eventually, though, I think Olivia might have started to notice that I didn’t approve of her and Ethan.

After a week of Olivia living in the house, she made Ethan breakfast and set the table for all of us. She made pancakes and eggs, the same thing I made her when she was upset about Andrew and her wedding.

“Ava!” She called out happily, pushing a plate already made towards me. Ethan looked up from the table, already having dug into his food.

I pressed my lips into a firm line, mimicking a smile but never quite getting there, and picked up the plate. I used my fork to pick at the pancakes and slammed the silverware on the counter a little too hard to seem unbothered.

Ethan and Olivia’s heads both shot up in my direction, quizzical and concerned looks on their faces.

“Ava?” Olivia was the first to say something.

I rolled my eyes without thinking and looked at her, “Yes?”

She furrowed her brows and stared me down, “You’ve been acting weird for a few days. Are you okay?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to steady my pounding heart.

“I don’t know, I’ve not been feeling well lately,” I said through breaths. When I opened my eyes again, Olivia was turned towards Ethan. They were giving each other a look; they were having a silent conversation between themselves and leaving me out of it.

I huffed and left the kitchen without another word.

I retreated to my bedroom, not wanting to see them or go anywhere. I just needed some time to pout and wallow until I felt better.

--

I retreated out of my room only once after that whole situation. I wanted to make myself some lunch.

While walking by Ethan’s office, I noticed the door was slightly ajar and there were voices coming from it. Apparently Ethan never went into work, I wasn’t sure why.

I crept closer to the door, curiosity getting the better of me, and I listened.

“She’s being weird, you need to do something,” It was Olivia’s voice.

I peered around the door to look into the room. Ethan had his head in his hands, Olivia was pacing around in front of the desk slowly. I strained to listen further.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into her, really,” Ethan rubbed his forehead and looked up at Olivia from his seat. “She doesn’t tell me what she’s thinking.”

“Have you ever asked?” Olivia pressed her hands onto her hips, “Do you even know how to?”

Ethan paused.

Olivia continued, “Haven’t you noticed she’s seemed really fake? Her smiles, they aren’t real. SHe may be sick!”

At that point, I accidentally got too close to the door and pushed it further open. The hinges creaked, and Ethan and Olivia’s heads shot up in my direction.

There was no going back, I stood up proudly and let them know that I heard what they were saying.

“Very nice,” I suctioned my lips to my teeth and turned away. Olivia tried to say something, but I wouldn’t let her get a word in before I was storming back to my bedroom.

Suddenly, my appetite was gone.

I spent the rest of the night in my room, tossing and turning, trying to get some sleep. Nothing worked. I kept replaying every moment where Ethan and Olivia were together over and over in my head. Their shared jokes and looks.

The way he did everything to make sure she wouldn’t marry Andrew. I assumed it was all so he could be with her instead.

Why was he keeping me around?

My thoughts were interrupted by incessant giggling filtering through the walls from Olivia’s room.

I put a pillow over my head to try and block out the noise, but then a rhythmic banging against the wall started. I removed the pillow and heard grunts and whines echoing in my, previously, silent room. My jaw dropped.

Were Ethan and Olivia having….

I didn’t let myself finish the thought. A red anger poured from the top of my head into my toes. Heat crept up into every inch of my body.

The moans grew louder and I couldn’t take it anymore. I pounced from my bed, threw on a sweatshirt that Ethan bought for me weeks ago, and stalked over to Olivia’s bedroom door.

From the hallway, the sounds were far more lewd and clear. I might as well have been in the room with them, it was all so loud. I knocked on the door, rapping my knuckles against the hardwood, but they must not have heard me.

The moans persisted.

I closed my fist fully and hammered it against the wood. That got their attention. All noise ceased and I heard the shuffling of clothes and a belt buckle.

I waited, arms crossed and a frown plastered on my face, ready to tell Ethan off for being so loud knowing that I was right next door.

My entire body froze, though, as I looked at the person opening the door.

Mars peaked his head from a crack in the door. It was obvious he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and from the slit in the door I could see Olivia splayed out on the mattress, barely covered by the sheets, waiting for him to come back to her.

“Do you need something?” Mars asked.