**Chapter 20**

**Ethan's POV**

Rinsing off the last traces of doubt, I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, feeling oddly lighter. I dried myself off and dressed quickly, my mind set on seeing Julia.

I approached my mom with newfound clarity. She looked up from her book, sensing my resolve.

"I'm going to Julia's," I announced firmly. "I need to tell her the truth, to be completely honest about my feelings."

Mom nodded her expression a mix of concern and support. "Are you sure you're ready for this, Ethan?"

I met her gaze with unwavering determination. "Yes, Mom. It's time."

With those words, I left our home, the cool night air brushing against my face as I drove to Julia's house. Each passing mile brought me closer to the moment of truth, a mixture of nerves and anticipation swirling inside me. I rehearsed the words I wanted to say, knowing that honesty was the only way forward.

Arriving at Julia's house, the
porch light glowed warmly against the night's darkness. Julia opened the door, her face lighting up. I forced a smile.

"I thought you were too tired after hanging out with Keilan to come here," she said as the crickets chirped outside in the night dew.

"No, I need to talk to you," I started as she moved to the side to allow me in.

"Julia, I have something important to say," I started, not knowing where to begin. It was tough telling her the truth out of fear she might leave, but she deserved it, and I needed this.

"Why do you sound like you're about to break up with me?" she jokingly asked as she looked at me with her hands covering herself in some way to shield herself from me.

"No, but you might leave me," I whispered. Julia looked at me, fear in her eyes.

I wanted to comfort her, but I knew we needed this conversation with no intimacy to sway us.

"What is it?" she asked softly, sensing the seriousness of my tone.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts. "Julia, I wasn't one hundred percent honest with you or myself, and I just realized it," I admitted.

My voice trembled, "She was a significant part of my life, and in some ways, she still is."

Julia's expression shifted, a flicker of concern crossing her features. She took a step closer, her eyes searching mine. "What are you saying, Ethan?"

I hesitated and told Julia, Sophia, and my complete history as she attentively listened with sadness lingering in her eyes.

"The weight of my words hung heavy in the air. "I was always curious about why Sophia left me, and today I found out. She thought I was cheating on her with a friend.'"

Julia's eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and hurt flashing in her gaze. She took a step back, crossing her arms protectively.

"Ethan," she began, her voice steady but tinged with uncertainty, "Are you still in love with her?"

Guilt washed over me, "Yes, I love Sophia, but I promise you I am not in love with her," I assured her quickly, my voice earnest. "But it's hard to let go of the past sometimes. I thought if I could understand why she left, it would help me move on."

I nodded, "I realized my feelings needed confrontation, not avoidance."

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "And to be honest with you, the other day when I came late to your house, it wasn't just a patient. It was Sophia's daughter, and she brought her."

I paused, feeling the weight of my confession. Julia's eyes widened slightly, a hint of hurt flickering across her face as she processed the implications.

"I kept quiet about it so I could hold onto her. I know it's nothing to keep a secret," I sternly said, being honest as my heart raced.

She looked at me in surprise and hurt but kept quiet as I continued.

I took a deep breath and said, " I want to be fully present in our relationship, Julia."

She searched my face, her eyes probing. "Ethan, I appreciate your honesty," she began carefully. "But I need to know where we stand. Can you promise me that you're ready to move forward?"

I step closer to her, reaching out to gently touch her arm. "Julia, I love you," I said quietly, the words coming from the depths of my heart. "I've been afraid to admit it fully, but today, I realized I want a future with you."

Julia's gaze softened, but there was still a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. "I want to believe you, Ethan," she admitted softly. "But this has to be a turning point for us. We can't keep looking back."

"I know," I agreed earnestly. "I've been holding onto something that's been holding me back. I want to build something real with you, Julia."

She took a deep breath, her hand covering mine where it rested on her arm. "Then we need to be completely honest moving forward," she said firmly. "No more secrets, no more doubts, and no more lies by omission."

"I promise," I vowed, squeezing her hand gently. "I'm done hiding from the truth. I want us to move forward together."

Julia nodded slowly, her lips forming a straight line, showing no emotion. "Okay, Ethan. One step at a time, and this is your last chance ."

Relief flooded through me, mixed with gratitude for Julia's understanding and patience. "One step at a time," I echoed, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

At that moment, I knew Sophia wasn't worth jeopardizing what I had with Julia. I would prove my worth and show myself the self-love I'd been working on before the reunion.

A few weeks later, I decided to surprise Julia by bringing her lunch to the hospital. I wanted to show her how much I appreciated her support and honesty. I called Emily to verify Julia's lunch hour.

"Hey, Em," I happily said.

"How did you know Keilen just arrived," she teasingly asked, and Keilen laughed.

I bursted out laughing at her. I get why she said it. My usual reason for contacting her was for Keilen or Mase.

"No, I called for you," I stated.

"Cool, what do you need," Emily curiously asked.

"Do you know when Julia is going on lunch," I questioned as I looked at the clock.

Julia has been alternating between 2 pm and 3 pm lunchtimes these past few weeks. It was just after 12:30 pm.

"So you called for your girlfriend, still not me," Emily feigned hurt, but her and Keilen's laugh allowed me to no it was only teasing.

"You're trying to be sweet and buy her lunch, aren't you?" she happily asked.

"Something like that," I replied with a smile.

Emily paused for a minute, "She should be on break around 2:30 pm."

"Thanks, Emily," I said, starting my preparation to cook her favorites. As soon as I finished, I drove to her work with happiness of how happy she would be. Grateful for Em's text, 'Will walk her to the cafeteria, so be there!'

Walking through the hospital corridors, I spotted Sophia walking down the hall. My first instinct was to avoid eye contact and keep walking, but I realized that avoiding her was the reason she still affected me so much. I was working too hard to prove she didn't mean anything.

Instead, I took a deep breath and approached her. "Hi, Sophia," I kindly said.

She looked surprised but managed a polite smile. "Hi, Ethan. How are you?"

"I'm okay," I said, being truthful and showing the food. "Just here to surprise Julia with lunch."

"That's sweet of you," she said. "She's lucky to have you."

She's unaware that I feel lucky to have Julia, but I don't need to boast about it, especially to Sophia. Julia's presence speaks for itself.

There was an awkward pause before I continued. "I'm glad we had that conversation the other day. It helped me find some closure."

Sophia nodded. "I'm glad too. It's good that we can move forward."

"I agree," I said. "Take care, Sophia."

"You too, Ethan," she said before walking away.

As I watched her go, I felt a strange sense of relief. I had finally acknowledged her presence without feeling the need to prove anything. It was a small step, but it felt significant.

Julia arrived in the cafeteria a few minutes later, guided by Em, who winked at me.

Julia looked pleasantly surprised to see me. "Ethan, what are you doing here?"

"I brought you lunch," I said, holding the bag.

Her face lit up with a smile. "You didn't have to do that, but I'm glad you did."

We found a table and sat down. As we ate, I told Julia about my brief encounter with Sophia.

"I saw Sophia today," I said, watching Julia's reaction.

"Oh? How did that go?" she asked, her tone neutral but curious.

"I just said hi. It was a good moment. I realized that I've been trying too hard to ignore Sophia, and it's been affecting me. Saying hi felt like I was finally accepting that she's part of my past, but she doesn't control my present or future," I explained.

Julia reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "That's a big step, Ethan. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Julia," I said sincerely.

And you've been honest with me, which means everything," she said. "We'll get through this together, one step at a time."

"Yes, we will," I said sincerely, "Now let's eat, and I am beyond glad Em didn't tell about the surprise," I teased as we talked about her work. We finished our lunch, and I felt more hopeful about our future.