He Watched Me Shine Without Him novel Chapter 33

Ethan jumped to his feet, panic flashing in his eyes. Then he slapped Rose hard across the face. "Watch your mouth, Rose."

Rose pressed her burning cheek, glaring at him with a cold, deadly stare.

Ethan looked down at his hand, panic rising. "Rose, I—I didn’t mean to do that!"

Rose turned toward the group. "I’m sorry for ruining the night, everyone. I’ll take this drink as an apology." She raised her glass, drained it in one gulp, and then grabbed her coat and bag, stumbling toward the door.

Meliora rushed after her. "Rose!"

Two drinks had already been too much—Rose almost never drank. Her stomach churned. She doubled over a trash can and threw up.

"Rose," Meliora said gently, rubbing her back.

Tears streamed down Rose’s face—whether from choking, from the alcohol, or from heartbreak, even she couldn’t tell. Through tear-filled eyes, she looked at Meliora.

"I... I just want to be alone," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Meliora shook her head, guilt washing over her. "Rose, I’m so sorry. I had no idea things were this bad. If I’d known they both betrayed you, I never would’ve stayed friends with them."

The alcohol was hitting Rose hard now. Her body began to slump, her strength fading. Meliora had no choice but to half-carry her back to the hotel.

Drunk and broken, Rose started to ramble.

All the emotions she’d kept buried came pouring out.

"Ethan, I begged you to marry me. Eight times. You’re the one who refused. And now you blame me for not sleeping with you? All you ever wanted was my body—not a real relationship, not commitment. You never loved me. And if you didn’t, fine—you should’ve just told me. Instead, you strung me along year after year while I gave everything to this broken relationship. You’re heartless."

...

Meliora wiped the tears from Rose’s face, her own eyes welling up. "Rose... you’ve been carrying all of this alone? You poor thing. You should’ve told someone. You must’ve been in so much pain."

As Rose lay there, the song played softly through the room.

"I’d become anything you wanted, just to follow you... anywhere."

The words cut deep. Just then, her phone started buzzing again and again. The screen lit up with the name "Hubby."

Meliora stared at it, stunned. Did Rose not delete Ethan’s number? Is she really still hanging on to him? Without thinking, she answered, and her voice was ice cold.

Meliora glanced at the screen again, confused. Since when did Rose marry someone else? Clearly, she wasn’t over Ethan... so what was going on?

Rose looked up at him, dazed and drunk, a name slipping from her lips. "Ethan..."

Houston flinched at the sound, pain flickering in his eyes.

Meliora nearly panicked. She rushed to explain. "Wait—don’t take it the wrong way! Ethan’s already married. They had a huge fight tonight—he even hit her. That’s why she’s like this. She’s drunk and upset, that’s all."

Only then did Houston notice the red marks on Rose’s cheek. His expression darkened.

He gently touched her face. "Rose, listen to me—you’re my wife. No one touches you. No one." With that, he wrapped her in his coat and lifted her effortlessly into his arms. Then he turned to Meliora. "Where is Ethan?"

Meliora pointed downstairs toward the restaurant.

Without another word, Houston carried Rose out.

Meliora trailed after him, nervous. Houston radiated cold fury—something bad was about to happen.

As Houston stepped out of the elevator, carrying Rose, they came face-to-face with a group of people leaving the private room. Ethan and Vivian were at the front.