The Past We Left Behind

There was only one way for Ethan to figure out what really happened and where Abigail was. And that was to go to Rebecca. He was almost certain that it all had something to do with her, and he knew that if he wanted to find out the truth, he had to play her game.

It was already pitch dark outside, 2 hours after midnight, but Ethan didn't feel like sleeping at all. Adrenaline kept him awake as he walked the streets of Adaburg for the umpteenth time that day. He felt pain and fatigue in his legs, but took comfort in the fact that he would arrive soon. It was a short walk to the hotel where Rebecca is staying.

Soon he arrived there. It was the hotel, 'Life', the same one Ethan had planned to stay in when he arrived in Adaburg, but it was fully booked then.

When he went inside, he saw the woman behind the counter who had been working the last time he was here. She was typing something on the computer, before looking up at Ethan when she heard his footsteps.

"Oh, well, I remember you. You were here recently, weren't you? You were looking for a room." She addressed him with a smile.

"Yes, yes, but I'm here for a different reason this time."

The woman raised her eyebrows curiously, and Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted. His gaze drifted to the side of the stairs where a familiar female voice came from, "You're already here." Rebecca said quietly with a devious smile.

"Yes, I'm here," Ethan replied, trying to keep his voice steady despite the conflicting emotions swirling inside him. Rebecca came down the stairs, her steps deliberate and confident. She stopped in front of Ethan and stared at him intensely with a smile, making him uncomfortable.

"You said you wanted to talk to me. What was it about?" She asked him after a moment of silence. Ethan took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts before looking down at the floor dejectedly, "About Abigail. Looks like you were right, she left me for Adam."

Rebecca's smile widened as Ethan admitted, a mixture of triumph and satisfaction visible in her eyes.

"Ah, Ethan." She said in a voice laced with feigned sympathy. "I'm sorry you had to find out the truth this way. I hope you now at least understand what I tried to explain to you earlier. For Abigail, your love was just a game, nothing more. The only one who ever truly loved you was me.”

Ethan forced a smile, hiding the storm of emotions raging inside him. If there was any chance he could find Abigail and uncover the truth, he had to keep his cool and keep playing Rebecca's game.

"You were right, Rebecca." Ethan replied in a calm but hollow voice. "I should have listened to you sooner. It's clear now that Abigail never truly cared for me."

Rebecca's eyes lit up with pleasure, believing that she had successfully manipulated Ethan to her advantage. She came closer to him and took his hand, her voice full of false sympathy, "But don't worry, Ethan." She continued, her tone oozing with false reassurance, "Now I'm here for you. You don't have to suffer alone. Together we can heal each other's wounds and start over."

Ethan fought the urge to pull his hand away from her touch, his skin crawling at her insincere display of empathy. But somehow he held back, nodding slowly and looking into her eyes with feigned gratitude.

"Thank you, Rebecca." He said in a voice tinged with vulnerability and hope. "I appreciate your support."

Rebecca's smile widened, her victory showing in every inch of her expression. She believed that Ethan had fallen into her web, unaware of his true intentions.

"Shall we go upstairs?" She asked him, pointing towards the next floor. Ethan hesitated for a moment as his mind raced. Going upstairs with Rebecca meant delving deeper into her web of manipulation, but it also represented an opportunity to gather information that could lead him to Abigail. With a sigh that he hoped covered his reluctance, he nodded, "Yes, let's go upstairs."

Rebecca's grip tightened on his hand as they climbed the stairs together. Each step seemed heavier to Ethan than the last, as if the weight of the mission was pressing down on his shoulders. When they reached the next floor, Rebecca led him down a dimly lit hallway as their footsteps echoed in the silence. They stopped in front of the door and Rebecca took the key out of her pocket. She unlocked it with a click, pushing it open to reveal a darkened room.

As Ethan followed her inside, Rebecca turned on the light and the room lit up, revealing a small but beautifully decorated room. In the corner was a large mahogany bed for two, and next to it on the left by the window was a small wooden bedside table with a night lamp on it. Opposite the bed was a small television hanging on the wall, and the walls were decorated with pictures in gilded frames, showing scenes of gorgeous landscapes.

“How do you like the room?” Rebecca asked Ethan as she walked towards the bed. Ethan's gaze swept across the room, noticing a large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

"The room is… beautiful." He replied, his voice laced with mock admiration. He tried to stay away from Rebecca, keeping a careful distance as he looked around. Rebecca laid down gracefully on the mahogany bed, patting the spot next to her with a sly smile.

"Come." She called to Ethan, her voice laced with allure. Ethan hesitated for a moment, his throat tightening as he assessed the situation. He knew he had to keep playing, but he also couldn't let things get too out of hand. With a cautious nod, he reluctantly walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it, as far away from Rebecca as he could get. Every muscle in Ethan was tense as he sat on the edge of the bed, but he tried to cover it up by keeping his eyes glued to the chandelier above. Rebecca shifted and moved closer to him, her eyes shining with desire. She leaned closer to Ethan and whispered warm breath in his ear, "You know, Ethan. We could forget about Abigail. Forget about the pain and the betrayal. Just tonight."

Ethan's jaw tightened, aware that the situation was slowly spiraling out of control. Luckily for him, just as Rebecca's lips were about to touch his skin, her cell phone rang from her pocket, interrupting the intimate moment she was trying to create. She took her phone out of her pocket, looking at the screen with a mixture of frustration and curiosity. Ethan took the opportunity to discreetly distance himself from her, with palpable relief.

"Excuse me for a moment. I'm getting a call from work." Rebecca said with a hint of anger, then crawled off the bed and headed for the door that was to the left of the front door. Ethan watched as Rebecca hurriedly left the room, focused on the unexpected call. He took a deep breath, his heart pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and rush. Thinking that this might be an opportunity for him to find out something, Ethan quietly got up from the bed and tiptoed after her. He stopped in front of the door and pressed against the wall, peering through the slightly ajar door. He could hear everything well.