Perhaps if she spoke to him, he would see reason? Perhaps she could plead with him? She loathed the knowledge that she had displeased him and sought to make things right between them.

Heaving a breath, she turned the cold metal of the knob, and pushed the door wide open. The dimly lit room stood empty. She swept her gaze over the room —over the bed that laid bare in the center of the room, and the couch close to the fireplace.

Finding nothing, she closed the door behind her and stepped into the room. She would wait for Ethan, she decided as she made her way to the bed. Hopefully, he wouldn't be avoiding her tonight.

She had almost reached the bed when she felt the cool night breeze wash over her body. Turning to the side, she found the door to the balcony open, letting in the breeze. The stars brightened the night sky, creating a wonderful sight, but it wasn't the stars that caught her attention, it was the man gazing up at them.

He had his back to her, his hands resting on the railings and his head slightly tilted upward. She stood frozen for a moment, watching as his hair danced to the rhythm of the breeze.

As if sensing her presence, he turned around sharply, his beautiful eyes sparkling like stars in the darkness. Even in the dark, she could see that his features were clouded, and that his hands seemed to tremble slightly. She would have easily passed it off as the effects of the night air, but she knew it wasn't; it was her. She was the reason for Ethan's unrest, and for the first time that day, she was genuinely sorry.

“You didn't come down for dinner...” She began, her voice only but a whisper. For a second, she wondered if he could hear her past the sound of the breeze. “I missed you at dinner.” She raised her voice.

Silence followed; one that filled her with shame and guilt for what she had done.

“I know I made a mistake, Ethan,” She managed to speak past the lump in her throat. “I'm sorry,” she said, tears blurring her vision. Afraid they would fall, she closed her eyes and tried to regain control of her emotions, but she could not. Her tears broke loose and slowly slipped down her cheeks.

She knew she was wrong, and that she made the wrong choice, but what hurt the most was the thought of Ethan never forgiving her for her mistake.

She clutched her hands before her, unsure of what else to say. The silence made her feel alone, and for a second, she imagined she truly was, until something touched her hand.

A soft sigh of relief escaped her lips as his cold fingers intertwined with her. Tearing her eyelids apart, her tears slipped down her cheeks, leaving her with a blurry image of Ethan.

His fingers grazed her cheek, sweeping her tears away. “I agree,” he whispered, sad eyes fixed on her. Unable to bear the thought of knowing she was the one who had put the sadness there, she bowed her head. “But you did what you thought was best.”