CHAPTER 133: SHOULDN’T HAVE

Stefan stepped out of the café long after Rayna had left, the early afternoon breeze rustling through his shirt as he walked towards his parked car.

His footsteps were heavy, not from fatigue, but from the emotional weight of what had just happened. Rayna hadn’t yelled. She hadn’t stormed off. She had listened. And that was more than he’d dared hope for.

He slipped behind the wheel, took one long, calming breath, and reached for his phone.

There was one more person he needed to see before returning home.

Fifteen minutes later, Stefan walked into the large office building where Ethan worked. The receptionist, already familiar with him, simply gave a polite nod and pointed toward Ethan’s floor even though Stefan knew his way around. This wasn’t his first time in Florittle or Ethan’s company after all.

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Ethan was leaning back in his chair when Stefan knocked once and stepped in. He straightened quickly, his hand pausing above the keyboard.

"Stefan," Ethan said, brows raising, "that was fast. How did it go?"

Stefan shrugged, giving a tired smile. "I’m hoping for the best. She didn’t bite my head off, which is already a miracle, but she didn’t exactly look like she was ready to be friends either."

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Ethan nodded thoughtfully, leaning forward. "That’s still something. You said what you needed to say?"

"Yeah," Stefan replied, exhaling as he sank into the chair across from him. "I tried to be honest. No games. No twisting words. I just laid it all out. Now, I guess I wait."

"She’ll come around," Ethan said, though his voice held a tinge of doubt. "So.... how is she?" he asked hesitantly.

Stefan turned his head slightly, feigning confusion. "Who? Ruby? I didn’t get to see her. Thought you’d know that already."

Ethan shook his head. "No. Not Ruby. I meant her.... Rayna."

At that, Stefan let out a low, short laugh. "She’s not looking too great either. You should call her. I think she’ll give you listening ears now."

Ethan leaned back. "Why would she... wait—you talked to her?"

"Yeah," Stefan said without hesitation. "She was the one I met with after all."

Ethan’s brows furrowed. "Man, you really shouldn’t have."

"Why not?" Stefan asked gently, his voice calm but firm. "I’m the one who caused this mess. It’s only right that I try to clean it up too. I dragged you into this, Ethan. You were only trying to help, and I made things worse."

Ethan looked at him for a long moment, his lips pressed into a straight line. Then he sighed. "Thank you... for doing that. For trying."

Stefan nodded. "You don’t need to thank me. I did enough damage already. I’m just trying to make things right—for her, for Ruby, for the baby, and for you too. For everyone I’ve dragged into my mess."

There was silence between them for a beat, the kind that was full of unspoken thoughts.

Finally, Stefan stood. "I should head home. I only came to let you know how it went."

Ethan stood too. "Thanks, man. Really."

With a nod and a brief clasp on the shoulder, Stefan turned and left.

Once the door closed, Ethan sat back down, his mind not on work anymore. But was now on Rayna.

Her face the day she realized he brought Stefan into her home—it haunted him. The disappointment. The betrayal. The hurt. She had looked at him like he was just another person who had used her.

He rested his elbows on the desk, running his hands over his face.

"Will she even want to talk to me now?" he muttered to himself. What did Stefan tell her? What did she think now?

The guilt gnawed at him, quiet but persistent. He had meant well. He had truly thought Ruby deserved to know the truth, and that Stefan should have a chance to make things right. But in doing so, he had trampled over Rayna’s trust and it was his fault too. She had every right to be mad at him. She had every right to hate him but even as he knew that, he couldn’t help wondering if she’d listened to Stefan and had understood why he’d helped him.

Before he could overthink it, he grabbed his phone and found her contact. He tapped the call button, pressing the phone to his ear as it rang.

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As it rang, a part of him urge him to hang up and let her be for now but the other part wouldn’t let him. He’d let this carry on for too long and he needed to sort things out especially since Stefan had set the pace.

He frowned when there was no answer. Sighing heavily, he dropped the phone on the desk, disappointment etched on his face, undeniable.

But seconds later, the screen lit up with an incoming call from Rayna. His heart skipped and he picked it up immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hi," Rayna’s voice came through, hesitant but calm.

"Hey," Ethan said, and for a moment, they both fell silent.

It was awkward, like walking barefoot over broken glass.

He’d been the one to call her and here he was, hi–ing and hey–ing her. What was wrong with him? Ethan mused as he took a deep breath.

"Listen," Ethan started, "can we talk? Maybe grab a few drinks later this evening? Just... talk."

Rayna didn’t respond at first. He could hear the faint sound of her breath, maybe even the muffled voices of the city beyond her.

Then, softly, she said, "Sure."

A breath of relief escaped him.

"Great. I’ll send you the address. Thank you, Rayna. For agreeing to meet up."

"Hmm," she hummed, and the call ended.

Ethan stared at his phone, a small, hopeful smile tugging at his lips.

It wasn’t much. But it was something.

Rayna sat on the edge of her bed, the pale morning light filtering through her window, casting soft patterns across the floor. Her fingers absently ran along the rim of the half-empty coffee mug in her hand. She hadn’t taken another sip in the last ten minutes—not since Stefan had walked out of that café.

Her mind was too full. Too loud. Too unsettled.

The conversation with Stefan played in her head on repeat. His voice. The sincerity in his eyes. The way he had spoken—not just with words, but with regret. With weight.