Chapter 39

Shock and disbelief still filled me when I woke up the next morning. The room was dark, thanks to the light-blocking drapes. I stared up at the ceiling in vain, my eyes swollen and sore from all the tears I had shed the night before. Ethan’s words echoed over and over in my mind. No. There had to be some kind of misunderstanding. It couldn’t mean what I thought it meant… Slowly, I slid out of bed and stood on shaky legs. A groggy, heavy feeling washed over me, and for a moment, I wished everything I’d heard last night had just been a nightmare. “Rosalie—” I jumped at the sound of Ethan’s voice drifting from the living room. Heart pounding, I rushed back to the bed, buried most of my face in the pillow, and pretended to sleep. The bedroom door creaked open, and I heard his footsteps approach. Thank the goddess the room was still dark—dark enough that he wouldn’t be able to see my puffy, tear-stained face. Then, gently, he pulled the blanket up to cover me better. If this had been yester