60• I trust them

Ella hurried into Ethan's house. As Nandini saw her, she hugged her and cried. "I shouldn't have concealed the truth from him, Ella. He is so angry and hurt. I'm not feeling good."

"Relax, give him some time. He'll understand you, Barbie." She reassured her, rubbing her back.

"For the first time, he shouted at me, Ella. I'm so scared." She sobbed as they pulled apart.

"You hid such a big truth from him, that's why he is behaving like that towards you. Trust me, he'll understand you once he calms down because he can't stay angry at his baby sister any longer." Ella explained to her, wiping her tears.

"I know, but please go to him because he has hurt himself," Nandini said, anxious for him.

"Let me talk to him, relax." Ella squeezed her shoulders before turning towards the door.

"Ethan, it's me, please open the door," Ella spoke, knocking on the door.

Ethan was sitting in the room on the edge of the bed, glaring straight at the wall in anger, and as he heard the voice of the love of his life, he came back to the earth. He stood up and rushed to open the door because, at that moment, he needed someone to be there for him.

He opened the door and took Ella inside the room without looking at Nandini, and then locked the door. It killed Nandini deep inside because he had never ignored her like this before.

"Ethan, what is wrong with you? What the fuck were you thinking while hurting yourself?" She chided him, taking his hand in her as her eyes fell on his injured hand.

But he didn't utter a single word, he just tightly engulfed her in his protective arms after pulling her to himself by grabbing her arms. He wasn't in a condition to talk, all he needed was some sort of warmth where he could just relax and think about the situation calmly.

And what place can be better than your lover's arms?

Someone was correct when they said that love has the power to provide strength that no one could ever imagine. If it can make you lose your mind and heart, it can also give you courage and peace that you won't find anywhere else.

"Ethan, calm down, baby." Ella said softly in his ear, petting his back while he just tightened his grip around her.

She yanked him away from herself for what seemed like an eternity. He wasn't ready to leave her, but she broke the hug because her thoughts kept returning to his injured hand. Her mind wouldn't be able to rest until she bandaged it.

"Just let me do the dressing of your hand, then you can hug me as much as you want. I'll not complain, okay?" She uttered, cupping his cheeks because he groaned when she broke the hug.

He just nodded positively and stared into her eyes. For a moment, he forgot about whatever was going on in his mind because his mind was filled with love from seeing his girl's love and care.

"Come." She spoke, clasping his hand and leading him to the sofa. Through her eyes, she signalled him to sit down on the bed, and he nodded, feeling compelled by her love.

She took out the first aid box from the cupboard and settled down beside him. "Do you remember, Ethan, when we started dating each other what was the first thing you said to me?" She enquired after keeping the first aid box on the table and taking out the ointment and cotton from it.

"I love you very much, and you are very precious to me; I can die without hesitation for you, but I just wanted you to know that there are two other people in my life for whom I live. If you are the source of my existence, love, and happiness, then without them, I would be nothing. I can never let you go below them, but I can never let you go above them." She said exactly what he had said before they started dating each other.

Flashbacks began to appear in front of his eyes. His eyes were moistened by his precious people's memories, and tears slipped from his eyes down his cheeks when reality hit him hard that they hurt by concealing the truth from him.

"They both hurt me, Ella. They hid such a big truth from me. It feels like I'm nothing for them." Finally, he broke the silence and spoke.

"Ethan, it's nothing like that. At least give them a chance to explain themselves." She tried to explain to him, dressing his hand.

"No, Ella, you tell me, do you think I would have been angry with them if they had confessed on their own? No right?" Ella was taken aback by his question.

"That means you aren't-" Before she could continue, he cut her off.

"I'm hurt, Ella. I'm not angry because they're in love or anything. They're my people, and I know them. I trust my best friend because I know he will never hurt my sister as he loves me unconditionally. Moreover, today I have seen Nandini in his eyes and how much he loves her. I witnessed another Manik today, but I'm angry because they hid the truth. I trust them, but do they trust me?" He explained to her why he was angry.

Ella was terrified after listening to his words because she also concealed the truth from him, but she had to make him understand, keeping herself on the side.

"Ethan, if you really trust them so much, then don't you think they deserve at least one chance to keep their point? Do you really think they will ever hurt you intentionally?" She asked him.

"No, but..."

"Please, talk to them. You know your sister, how sensitive she is. She can't take the stress." As Ella talked about Nandini, reality hit him hard, and he recalled how he had shouted at her.

"Shit! I yelled at her. She was crying. I never thought that I would make my sister cry. I have to talk to her because, no matter what, I can't hurt her." Ethan stood up and said, staring straight.

"Then go talk to him, Ethan." Ella placed her hand on his shoulder. He gave her a slight nod before marching towards the door and opening it.

He searched for her, and a small smile flashed on his face as he saw her hiding behind the pillar like a small kid.

"Nandini." He called her after reaching in front of her, and she slowly raised her eyes to him from the floor.

She apologised, slightly pulling his shirt. "I'm sorry, Ethan. I had no intention of hurting you. Manik has changed, we both love each other."

"But why did you both hide the truth from me?" He directly asked her.

"We were going to tell you today, but God had some other plan. You know us, Ethan. We love you a lot. Do you really think we can ever think of doing something that could hurt you?" She sobbed.

He gently wiped her tears. "Stop crying, I'm not angry with you. I know my sister could never hurt me intentionally, but I was hurt that you hid such a big truth from me."

"I was scared about your reaction. Manik was asking me to tell you, but I was stopping him. He wasn't at fault." She lied to him, playing with the button on his shirt.

"I'm going to his house to talk to him, don't worry." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, bringing a smile of relief to her face.

"I want to come with you." She said, pouting at him.

"First let me talk to him, I'll bring him here afterwards. Anyway, I already had an idea that someone had arrived in his life and changed him, or else how could he suddenly forgive his father and join the office? But I never thought that my sister would be the reason for his sudden behaviour change, and I'm so glad." She shyly hid her face in his chest, and he embraced her.

***

As he left, she went to Ethan's room and hugged Ella. "Ethan forgave us, Ella. I'm so happy. I was so terrified after seeing his anger. All credit goes to go, thank you." She merrily squealed and kissed her cheek, but Ella's lips were drawn.

"Why are you upset?" She asked her, noticing her sadness.

"I have also kept the truth from him, Nandini. When he gets to know, he will be so angry." She told her.

"Don't worry, he'll never get to know about this. Just chill." She reassured her.

"I'll tell him, Nandini. I can't lie to him."

"Okay, don't worry. I'll explain to him that you hid the truth from him because of me. Don't worry, he'll understand you and forgive you as well. My brother is so sweet." Nandini cheered her up, and she slightly smiled.

***

After some time, Ella and Nandini were sitting in the hall and waiting for Manik and Ethan.

They stood up in shock when they saw Ethan marching into the house. His eyes were burning red in fury.

"Nandini, you'll never meet Manik again. Just forget him." He instructed her sternly, and her eyes dilated in shock. She didn't understand what happened to him all of a sudden, he was all fine before leaving the house. Her heart was pounding with fright.