Part XXIV

Teresa was in the living room in her silk pyjama and assorted robe, going through a fashion magazine when Ethan walked in with Gwen by his side.

"Teresa."

She looked up and looked back down at her magazine. She flipped the page and then folded one of them to mark what she wanted to buy.

"What is, Ethan?"

He looked at her as she kept going through the magazine.

"Can you put that down for a second? We all need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm not talking to her, Ethan. I want to go to bed."

"Look, Gwen, this is important."

Teresa finally put her magazine down as Ethan showed a seat to a pouting Gwen. Both and Teresa stared at each other for a few seconds and then turned their attention to Ethan who was standing there, with his hands in his pockets.

"The reason I asked to speak to both of you, is because I want you to know the truth once and for all."

"Well, then make the truth quick. I have other things to do."

"What are those other things that you have to do, Teresa? Buy yourself designer clothes with your husband's money?"

"Shut up, Gwen. I have to check on my son."

"You don't have to, Fox checked on his after the maid put him to bed, right before he went outside."

"Fox checked on him?"

"Yes, Teresa. He did."

Ethan fell silent and looked at her. With her long dark hair and dark eyes, with her smile and the way she held herself since she was married to Fox.He loved her more than before and he wanted her back in his life. He had made a lot of mistakes in his life and letting Teresa go was the biggest of them all. He knew that he could rekindle their love if she could just give him the chance. He just knew it.

"Gwen, I love you. You were my childhood sweetheart, but I think that it was silly of us to think that we could function as a normal couple. And then the baby died."

"And whose fault is that, Ethan? Yours and hers. You knew that I was having a difficult pregnancy, you knew what stress would do to me, then you kiss her and you tell me about it. You could have waited until our baby was born, but no, you didn't."

"Gwen, I want a divorce."

She looked simply looked at him. She had known since the first day of their marriage that Ethan wanted out of it.

"You are the one who wanted to get married, you are the one who wanted to give our child a family. I said no, because I knew that you loved her, because I knew that you were doing it out of obligation for our baby. You are not getting a divorce from me, Ethan. I will not release you. You want to go have an affair? Fine! Go right ahead because I couldn't care less about it. But if I'm unhappy and bitter, so will you be. You know how the saying goes, misery loves company, right? Well, you can be miserable right along with me, Ethan."

He looked at her startled by her violent reaction to his request. He thought that she would have wanted out as well. This marriage was becoming his worst nightmare. It was turning into Ivy and Julian's marriage. Everything that he never wanted for himself.

"But I love Teresa. Gwen, it's Teresa I want."

"I don't love you, Ethan. I am married to your brother."

"Half brother, Teresa. And you don't need to remind me that you are married to that good for nothing."

"Good for nothing? Good for nothing? How dare you speak of him that way, Ethan? He is a great husband and an excellent father to my son."

"He is not his father, Teresa. Julian is."

"You don't have to raise your voice to me, Ethan. These are our lives and I'm happy with him. I love him."

"Is that why you've been sleeping in separate rooms? Is that why he lied to you about Whitney?"

"Why don't you mind your own business, Ethan?"

"Who is talking to you, Gwen? Last time I checked, this conversation was between me and Teresa. You weren't included."

Gwen had a sarcastic laugh and stood up as she looked at Ethan.

"You are deciding my future and you want me to butt out? I am not butting out, Ethan and I'm not budging either. I'm staying right here in this mansion, married to you, while your precious Teresa stays married to your half brother. You heard the woman, she loves him and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that you can do about it.just like there's nothing you can do about divorcing me. I'm not going anywhere, got that?"

She turned to Teresa who was still sitting down and looking at them.

"Maybe him getting me pregnant was the best thing to happen in your life, Teresa."

"I know it is, Gwen."

Fox's words resounded in Teresa's head, that night on the balcony in Los Angeles as they stood there and contemplated the skyline. 'About love, maybe it isn't an emotion or a feeling. Maybe love is just a fact, maybe it's just a truth.'

Now, at last, what he said was beginning to sink in and she was understanding what he meant because he had felt what she had felt and he had felt her like she was feeling him.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go to my husband and make things right between us."

She got up and left the living room walking as fast as she could. She knew she would find Fox sitting at the gazebo under her window like all the other nights since he had moved out of their bedroom.

Ethan looked at Gwen for an instant, then went after Teresa who had disappeared outside.