The drive home was too quiet. Ethan had not said a word since he picked her up.
Ember sat in the passenger seat, hands folded tightly in her lap, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past.
Every now and then, she caught her reflection in the glass, she wasn't in the car with him. Physically she was but her mind was still outside in the cold, standing with Edward.
Ethan didn't try to start a conversation, he just drove and watched her from time to time.
"You're quiet," he finally said as they approached a red light.
Ember didn't look at him. "I'm just tired."
He didn't respond but Ember could feel tension in the car. When they pulled right in front of her building, the engine went still but neither of them moved right away.
Ethan turned slightly in his seat, studying her. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Ember's breath caught. "No," she said quickly, then gave a rethink for a second. "Wait, what do you mean ?"
Ethan let out a slow breath, nodding once as if he expected that answer.
"Okay," he said.
She reached for the door handle, knowing fully well he wasn't convinced
"Ember."
She paused.
"I'm not asking to fight," he continued, quieter now. "I'm asking because I can feel it." He whispered.
"You've been different," he said. "Since before the gala. But tonight…" he sighed. "What am I missing here, Ember."
She closed her eyes briefly. "I told you," she said softly. "It's just stress."
Ethan shook his head slightly.
"No," he said. "It's not."
She turned then, finally meeting his eyes. She looked at him and she could see hurt right through him.
"Are you seeing someone else?" he asked quietly.
"No. Come on Ethan." She answered quickly.
"Then what is it? What am I doing wrong?"
Ember could feel his pain. It wasn't the first time she was drifting from him. Whenever they fought concerning her previous jobs, she would drift saying she needed time.
Her excuse always being that, Ethan was human and couldn't understand her feelings to the degree to which she wished he could.
She saw that same look in his eyes. The look he gave when he was telling her how his mother had dumped his father. Ember feared he was thinking she'd leave him too like that. It was pitiful seeing her strong boyfriend sit in the driver's seat with his face looking like he was going to cry.
She opened her mouth. Then closed it again. "I don't know." She finally admitted.
Ethan leaned back slightly, running a hand through his hair. "Okay," he said quietly. "So you don't know."
"Let me tell you what I know, I feel you are hiding something from me. What was Mr Drew doing outside the club with you? You told me you were going to be at the front door. Not across the street."
Ember gasped for air. She started laughing. Knowing Ethan, she knew he was just being jealous. Not like he had found out something, he was just being a nag.
Her wolf went still immediately "Babe… are you jealous?" Ember said, forcing a light laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Come on now. He's engaged to Iris—did you forget?"
Ethan stilled instantly.
"I mean.. it was announced at the gala," she said quickly. "Everyone knows that"
She reassured him that she had her eyes only on one man who was him. Ethan was very easy to please and Ember knew just how to go about it.
She kissed him passionately before asking if he'd like to come inside with her. He painfully declined saying he had an early morning the next day.
Ember stood there, unmoving, watching as he got in, started the engine, and drove off without looking back.
She wrapped her arms around herself, the night air suddenly colder than before.
Her phone buzzed, she ignored it.
It buzzed again, she sighed before bringing it out. Ember's stomach dropped when she looked at the screen and it was Iris.
She opened the message.
We need to talk . Tomorrow morning. Don't be late.
Ember stared at the screen, her pulse quickening. Iris was the last person she expected would text her.
Her hands hovered over the screen, she considered sending a reply or pretending she didn't see the text.
But none of that would matter. Iris wasn't asking, she was summoning her. She slowly locked her phone and went into her apartment.
Ember was awake before her clock rang. Every time she closed her eyes, something pulled her back, Edward's gaze, Ethan's silence and Iris's message.
The office felt the same that morning, nothing out of the ordinary. She sighted Sofia on her desk and tried to escape seeing her. After all she had bailed out of their date the previous night without even saying goodbye.
"Morning," Sofia said, eyeing her carefully. "You look like you fought a war."
Ember forced a small smile. "Feels like it."
Sofia leaned in slightly. "You okay?"
Ember nodded, and before Sofia could press further, another voice cut through.
"Ember." She turned.
Iris stood a few feet away, perfectly composed as ever.
"Come to my office." She said.
Sofia and her other colleagues shared glances. Ember's heart skipped a bit. And at that moment, she thought; what if Iris had spotted her last night with Edward? Or what if she knew she'd eavesdropped on her conversation with Brenda the other night.
She entered Iris' office and closed the door softly behind her.
"Sit" Iris said and Ember pulled a chair.
Iris was never an early comer to work so whatever it was that brought her in early that day must have been truly important.
After sitting, Iris didn't say a word. She worked on her screen for a few minutes before turning to Ember with a smile.
"I have a proposal for you." Ember's chest tightened.
"I'm listening."
"I want you to plan my wedding."
The words landed like a shockwave, Ember blinked twice.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Iris's smile didn't falter.
"My wedding," she repeated smoothly. "To Edward."
The room felt smaller and Ember gasped for air. What wedding was she talking about? Had Edward not left the engagement before the announcement?
Ember thought the wedding had been called off. What was he doing back at the club if the wedding hadn't been called off? This was too much to process at the moment.
"Why me?" Ember asked carefully.
Iris tilted her head slightly.
"Because you're capable, I read your file. You are an event planner." she said. "And because I trust you."