Chapter 6 Thr Weight Of Silence
~Ginny’s POV~
“Stop pretending you have choices, Ginny.” Richard spoke softly behind me.
I kept my back pressed against the door.
“Open it.”
“No.”
“Open the door.” My voice was louder this time.
“Or what?” he asked calmly. “Call the police?”
My fingers tightened around the handle.
“You’re making a mistake.”
He laughed softly. “No sweetheart. The mistake was Ethan thinking he could keep something like you and not expect someone else to want it.”
“Don’t talk about me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m something you can take.”
He moved closer. I could hear the gentle clink of ice in his glass. It was a small sound, but it filled the silence between us.
“You already know I can,” he said.
“Stay away from me Richard.”
“Why?” he asked. “Because you’re loyal to my son?”
“I’m his wife.”
“For now.”
I shook my head. “You’re sick.”
“And you’re desperate.”
“I’d rather die than accept your offer.”
“Would your sister prefer that Ginny?” he asked quietly.
My breath caught.
“That’s what I thought,” he said.
“Open the door.”
“Not until you start being reasonable.”
“I’m leaving.”
“You’re not.”
“Move.”
“Make me.”
I tried the handle again, it was the same.
Locked.
My voice cracked. “Richard, please open the door.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“Say you’ll leave Ethan.”
“No.”
“Then we’re not done talking.”
“I said no.”
His hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Let go of me!”
“You’re fighting the wrong battle,” he said.
“Let go!”
“Calm down.”
“I said let go!”
My words bounced back at me off the rows of books. The room felt empty and quiet.
“Stop shouting,” he said sharply.
“Someone will hear!”
“No one will.”
I struggled against him. “You can’t do this!”
“You should have listened earlier.”
“Richard…”
“Be quiet.”
I pushed against him. “Get off me!”
“Ginny.”
“Stop!”
“Ginny!”
My voice cracked as I shouted, “Help!” but no one came.
I screamed again hoping for someone to hear.
“Help!” Silence.
Only the sound of my own breathing and his calm voice.
“You see?” he said quietly. “No one is coming to help you.”
Footsteps passed somewhere outside the door.I heard someone was there.
“Help!” I shouted again.
The footsteps kept moving, before they faded.
My strength faded with them.
“Please,” I whispered. But the room stayed silent.
Hours later, the house felt too big, too quiet. I sat in the dining room with the lights off. A plate of untouched food sat in front of me.
I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t moved. The front door opened, footsteps. Then Ethan’s voice.
“Ginny?”
I clenched my fists under the table, trying to hide my reaction. My nails dug into my palms.
He walked in a moment later and stopped.
“Why are you sitting in the dark?”
I didn’t answer because I didn't know what to say.
He walked closer.
“Ginny?”
“I didn’t hear you come in.” I managed to say.
“I just got back.”
“You said a week.”
“The trip was cancelled.”
“Oh.”
He looked at the food. “Why haven't you eaten?”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
His eyes moved from the food in front of me to my face.
“Were you crying?”
“Crying? No…I wasn't.” I forced a smile on my face.
“But your eyes are red.”
“Yh…am just…I’m tired.”
He studied me quietly.
“Ginny.”
“I said I’m fine. Trust me.”
“But you really don’t look fine.”
“I am. I told you already. I'm just tired.”
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m cold.”
“It’s not cold here.”
I looked away. He sighed and pulled out the chair across from me.
“Talk to me Ginny.”
“There’s nothing to say.”
“I don’t believe that. You always have something to say.”
“I’m just tired.” I have repeated this for the third time. But it seems he knows I am lying to him.
“You’ve said that three times.”
“Because it’s true.”
He leaned forward slightly.
“Did someone say something to you today?”
“No. I haven't left my room ever since.”
“My father?”
My heart jumped as he mentioned his dad.
“No…not at all. I told you everything is fine and you don't need to act like you care.”
“You hesitated.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I’m just tired, Ethan.” He watched me like he was trying to read something written on my face.
“You feel it too,” he said quietly.
“Feel what?”
“The way you feel a storm before it arrives.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes you do.”
“No, I don’t.” He kept staring, For one second my mouth opened, as the words almost came out.
Almost. Then I closed it. “I’m going to bed,” I said. I need some rest.
He didn’t move.
“Sit down,” he said.
“I said I’m tired.”
“Sit down Ginny.” Something in his voice made me stop. I slowly sat again.
He stood, walked to the cabinet, and took out a bottle of wine.
“You shouldn’t be drinking if you’re tired,” I said.
“I’m not asking.”
He poured two glasses, One slid across the table toward me.
“I don’t want it.”
“No, you need it. So drink.”
“I said…”
“Ginny.”
I picked up the glass, as we both drank.
Silence filled the room. He poured another, then another.
After the third glass, his voice softened. “Are you afraid of me, Ginny?”
I blinked. “No, I am not.”
“You answered too fast.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then prove it. Prove it you are not afraid of me.
“How?”
“Stop looking at me like I’m another man who might hurt you.”
My breath caught. “I’m not…”
“You are.”
“I’m just tired.”
“You keep hiding behind that word.”
“What do you want from me?”
“The truth.”
“I already told you the truth.”
“No you didn’t.”
I pushed my chair back. “I’m going upstairs.”
He caught my wrist.
“Ethan.”
“Look at me.”
“I am.”
“No. Really look.”
I met his eyes, for the first time all night he looked unsure. Not cold, Not distant. Just… human.
“You’re shaking again,” he said quietly.
“I told you I’m cold.”
“Come here.”
“What?”
“Come here.”
“I’m fine Ethan.”
“Ginny.” His voice softened. “Please.”
I stood slowly, he didn’t let go of my wrist.
“See?” he murmured. “You’re still afraid.”
“I’m not afraid. I have told you that already.”
“Then stop pulling away.”
“I’m not pulling away.”
“Yes you are.”
“Ethan…”
“Stay.”
Something in his voice broke through the wall inside me just a little. I stopped resisting and he exhaled slowly.
“That’s better.”
The silence between us changed. The air felt warmer, closer.
He brushed his thumb lightly across my wrist.
“You don’t trust me,” he said.
“I do.”
“No you don’t.”
“I’m trying.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“I know.”
He studied my face again.
“You’re different tonight Ginny.”
“I told you why.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t know what else to say for you to believe me.”
“Then don’t say anything.”
“What?”
“Just stay.”
The wine made everything softer. The silence felt less heavy. His voice dropped to a whisper.
“You’re not alone here.”
I swallowed. “I know that.”
But the words felt like a lie. One moment blurred into the next.
We stopped talking, We stopped pretending.
And somehow the distance between us disappeared.
Morning came too quickly as I woke before Ethan. The room was quiet.
He was still asleep beside me.
I stared at the ceiling, everything felt heavier.
More complicated.
My chest tightened as the memories of yesterday crashed back.
The library, Richard. Then Ethan. Same night. Same house.
My stomach twisted. I just had sex with the man who's also my husband's dad. And the same day, I also had sex with Ethan.
What if…
No.
No.
I carefully slipped out of bed, Ethan didn’t wake. I walked to the bathroom and locked the door.
The click echoed too loudly.
I slid down the wall slowly until I was sitting on the cold floor. My hands moved to my stomach. My fingers pressed flat against it.
My breathing shook.
“Please,” I whispered.
My voice cracked.
“Please… not this.”
