Chapter 4
After working with Ivy for a few hours canceling the wedding plans, Teresa quietly snuck out of the mansion to avoid an Ethan encounter, and headed to the book café where she was meeting Whitney. Walking in to the café she found Whitney in a booth at the back.
'Hey Whit, how's your day been?' she asked while taking her seat and ordering a coffee from the passing waitress.
'Mine has been fine. How was yours? Were you okay at work? Did you see Ethan?'
'Whoa one question at a time, my day was okay. Work was very busy and yes I saw Ethan.'
'You can't just leave it at that. Were you okay being around him? Spill.
'Actually when I got to the mansion I crept up to Ivy's office to start work hoping I wouldn't have to see Ethan but he was already there'
'Ethan was in Ivy's office?' she said sounding shocked
'Yep. He said he was waiting for me'
'Waiting for you? What do you mean waiting for you? He is with Gwen Teresa. Ethan Crane will never fall in love with you.' she tried to stress the point
'Whitney I know that. I am moving on, Miguel is even going to find me a date for prom.'
'Wow. I am proud of you. But you still haven't answered my question. Why was Ethan waiting for you in Ivy's office?'
'He wanted my support when he spoke to his parents and told them the news, and I think he is also going to need a lot of help coming to terms with what happened last night'
'You mean Crystal being shot at the wharf?'
'No I mean last night when Gwen left him'
'What Gwen had to go back to work again? Big shock she is at work more than she is with Ethan.' She said sarcastically
'I know that and Ethan does too,' she sighed and continued, 'Ethan gave Gwen an ultimatum last night. She stayed with him till after the honey moon or she goes back to work and the wedding was off.' She paused and looked straight into Whitney's eyes, 'Whitney, Gwen left Ethan last night and he was absolutely devastated when I saw him. He was literally falling apart. It broke my heart knowing that he was in so much pain. But at the same time it gave me closure. If Ethan had left Gwen I would be thinking completely different things. I would have thought that maybe Ethan left Gwen to be with me. But Gwen left him. Ethan doesn't love me Whitney he loves Gwen. And she just broke his heart.'
'Wow Gwen actually left Ethan. So he really isn't that good?'
'Nope, but his parents took the news fairly well considering everything. Ivy even helped me cancel the wedding plans this morning. They just want him to be happy.'
'Well at least he isn't getting hell from his parents. Now what is this about your mystery date for prom?'
'Well Miguel thought it would be a good idea if I got a date for prom and I don't really know anyone that I want to go with, my life always revolved around Ethan.'
'Very true' Whitney interrupted
'Ha ha. Anyway Miguel is going to find my perfect prom date for me'
'You agreed to this?'
'Yep, the only conditions are no nerds, and I don't want to know who he is until the night of the prom.'
'Well I am glad you're game because I would never trust Simone to set me up with anyone. I am just going to call Chad maybe he can cheer Ethan up.'
'That's a good idea I should have thought of it sooner'
'Well you didn't and I am taking the credit' she said laughing.
After making the phone call Teresa and Whitney continued to catch up for the rest of the afternoon and discuss their upcoming prom plans. Whitney was so happy that Teresa had moved passed Ethan and now she could look forward to the future.
Crane Mansion
After getting a call from Whitney that Ethan might need some cheering up he headed straight to the mansion. He didn't really know what the reason was, Whitney didn't tell him the details. He thought that Gwen was home and didn't want to intrude but Whitney had insisted on him seeing Ethan.
Walking up to the mansion he knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer.
He was shocked when Ivy Crane herself answered the door but didn't let it show.
'Hi Mrs. Crane. I came by to see Ethan is he home?'
'Oh Chad yes, do come in. How are you? I am sorry about your parents I know how much you wanted to
know who they were.'
'Yeah it is fairly upsetting but at least I can stop looking. I know where they are and I know that they didn't abandon me.'
'Yes it is good to hear. Now Ethan is out the back in the sunroom. Maybe your visit will cheer him up. You do know what happened don't you?'
'No Whitney called me bout 15mins ago and said that I should come over cause Ethan would probably need a friendly face. She didn't go into details'
'Well then I will let Ethan tell you what happened. I will see you later, the sunrooms just down this hallway and on the right.'
'Thanks Mrs. Crane, see you later'
Chad walked down the hallway and when he walked into the room he saw Ethan sitting on the lounge looking out the window with a bottle of scotch in his hands. He noted that half the contents were missing. This was not good; he knew that Ethan rarely drank. After taking in the sight he made his presence known.
'Hey Ethan. What are you doing drinking all that liquor?'
Ethan turned around at the sound of the familiar voice and he broke into a big smile and ran and hugged Chad.
'Chad, brother. How are ya? Wanna a drink?'
'Umm no I think you've drunk enough for the both of us don't you?'
'Yes I guess so' he said acting like a 5yr old, 'so what are you doing here?'
'Whitney called and said I should probably come see you and I am definitely glad I came. What has got you in such a mess that you have resorted to the scotch? Where's Gwen I thought she came home last night?'
'Gwen is gone.' He said bluntly, 'And she ain't comin' back. Last night she decided that work was more important than me' he said pointing at his chest, 'and so I said to her, I said "if you go back to work tonight don't come back' and she left. She has gone. Bye bye birdie.' He said flapping his hands
'And that is why you are drinking yourself into a stupor, because Gwen left you? That's understandable but alcohol isn't the answer.'
Ethan started laughing. Chad thought that he was drinking because Gwen left him. He didn't care. Well he did a little but not enough to get drunk over.
'No Chad.' He got serious, 'I am not drunk because of Gwen. I am actually a little happy that she is gone.'
'Ethan you were in love with her, you were supposed to get married in just over a month right? Ethan nodded in confirmation, 'so if you're not drunk because of Gwen then who has caused you to drink like this?'
'That my friend I cannot divulge. It is a secret that is hidden in here' he said pointing to his where his heart was concealed in his chest; 'because the pain that I feel at the moment can only be lessened by this' he reached for the bottle again and took a long sip. Chad moved forward and took the bottle. 'Hey. Give it back'
'No way man you are so going to regret this when the alcohol is out of your system. So by taking this away it will lessen the already huge headache that I am sure you are going to have when you sober up'
'But I need it. I can't stand this pain.' He said and started to cry, 'I can't have her and it kills me. I love her so much. But she doesn't love me.'
'Ethan you are talking about Gwen aren't you?'
'Nope and I am not telling you cause you will tell her. That is if you knew her.' Ethan quickly realized that he had almost revealed his secret to Chad and that would have been disastrous.
'So if I don't know her how do you know her? How do you know her because the only women I know how you hang around were Gwen, Sheridan, Whitney and Teresa If it's not one of them then who?'
'That my friend is a secret that I am not telling. Now since you aren't going to give me back my bottle I am going to go sleep before I sober up.'
Ethan stumbled towards the back stairs, which led up to his room but was stopped when he heard Chad, asked a final question.
'Ethan why do you think that you can't be with this other girl, you aren't with Gwen anymore?'
Ethan took a deep breath and then looked at Chad, 'because she sees me as only her friend' he then turned and continued up the stairs.
Chad made his way outside and immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Whitney.
'Hello?'
'Hey sweetie its me'
'Hi Chad. How's Ethan?'
'Not so good look is Teresa with you? I really need to talk to her'
'Yep sure I'll just put her on' Whitney said handing the phone to Teresa.
'Hey Chad how was Ethan?'
'Teresa he was a complete mess. Was he drinking when you left?'
'No I haven't spoken to him since after he told his parents. Why?'
'When I got to the mansion, he was out the back drunk out of his mind.'
'What? Oh man I could kill Gwen for causing him this much pain'
'Umm Teresa I don't want you to get upset but he told me that he wasn't drunk because of Gwen. He was getting drunk over another woman he was in love with and doesn't love him back. Someone who we don't know.' He finished quietly.
Teresa felt her heart break. Ethan was in love with someone else. Whitney saw the look of horror on Teresa's face and asked
'Teresa what's wrong?' Teresa covered the mouthpiece and answered
'Ethan is drunk out of his mind, trying to drown his sorrows but not because of Gwen, apparently he is in love with someone else. Someone we don't know' she finished fighting back the tears that were threatening.
'Look Chad thanks for letting me know. I'll check on him tomorrow when I go to work. I have to go now bye.' She quickly hung up the phone and handed it back to Whitney while getting up.
'Teresa are you okay?'
'Umm no not really. I know I am supposed to be getting over him but it hurts that I was comforting him this morning thinking he was heartbroken about Gwen and now he is drunk because another who he is apparently in love with doesn't love him back. I have to go. I'll talk to you later'
Teresa quickly got up and walked out of the café. As soon as she got out she walked across to the park and sat down on a bench. Speaking out loud she asked the heavens
'What did I do to deserve this? I loved him and I could handle that he loved Gwen. He was with her before we met. But for him to fall in love with someone else, that's just too much. It was supposed to be me!' she screamed 'it was supposed to be me' she said more quietly. She then got up and ran home going straight upstairs to her room and dissolving in tears on her bed crying for hours before sleep took over.

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