“Uh, well, you see, we misunderstood what we wanted in the relationship. I thought I was still young, and it wasn’t the time to get into a more serious one. I admit that I made a terrible mistake by ending the relationship. Yet, as people said, you only realize the preciousness when you lose it. Well, it’s what happened to me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Mrs. Ross. I’m an idiot who can’t see how precious Helena was until I lost her.”
I didn’t like Kenneth from the first time I met him. Moreover, now, when I knew that he did nothing to save Helena. After talking for a few minutes, I wondered how to get rid of him soon. So, finally, I decided to tell Kenneth about Ethan.
“You know, Helena is an adult. I won’t interfere with her personal affair. About the heart matter, she has chosen someone else. Ethan saved Helena when she was drowning. They build the relationship well.” I stared at Kenneth with a thin smile. “Maybe they are soulmates since they look so good together.”
“Helena just met him. How can she fall so fast with him?” Kenneth asked. “I don’t believe it unless there are three cases.”
“Oh? What do you think?”
“First, Helena couldn’t accept that I broke her and used Ethan to make me jealous. A rebound guy.”
I truly wanted to laugh since Ethan was much better than Kenneth in all factors. But instead, I coughed and covered my mouth to conceal my almost escaping laugh. “Sorry.” I coughed a few times. “And the second?”
“Because he bewitched her.”
This time, I couldn’t help it. First, a burst of laughter formed, and then I laughed aloud. “I’m truly sorry, but you said nonsense.”
“Mrs. Ross, I have been thinking a lot. But, it’s possible.”
“Have you met Ethan?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have.”
“Then you know how good he is for Helena, isn’t he?”
“Mrs. Ross—”
Yet I interrupted Kenneth’s words, “You said there were three reasons, three possibilities for Helena falling in love so fast with Ethan. So, what do you think of the last one?”
“Because they have already shared his bed.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ethan has taken Helena’s virginity!” Kenneth yelled. “It may be combining these three factors or only two of those.” He was quiet for a moment. Then, finally, he said, “I have a confession.”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
“I broke up with Helena since she didn’t want to have sex with me. So, I found someone else to fulfill my needs. I know I was wrong; I truly regret it now. Yet, Helena insisted not to do it.” Kenneth blew his breath. “Yet, she admitted that she had shared Ethan’s bed. I think he is a bad influence on Helena.”
I frowned when I heard about Kenneth’s confession. I didn’t like what I heard about Helena and Ethan. But I thought Ethan had already asked for Helena’s hands in marriage. So, he didn’t need to tell me that he wanted to propose to Helena.
Also, I saw how tender Ethan was toward Helena and how he was so polite and considerate toward her. In comparison, Kenneth had never thought of me as Helena’s guardian.
“So, let me ask you a few questions.”
“Yes, Mrs. Ross.” Kenneth smiled, waiting for my questions.
“You said that you and Helena broke up because you weren’t ready for a serious relationship. So, I’m asking you now. Are you ready for one?”
“Yes, Mrs. Ross.”
“How ready are you? I mean, what have you thought about the future with Helena?”
“Uh, well, maybe we will engage first for a year. Then maybe in two years, we will get married.”
“I see. Since you seemed to make it a big issue about Helena losing her virginity to Ethan, will you let it go?”
Kenneth shrugged. “Well, I will think it as even. Since I was with someone too, I won’t make it a problem anymore.”
I was upset when I heard that. “How dare you betray my daughter!”
“Uh, Mrs. Ross, it’s the moment of madness. Since if Helena and I marry, I don’t need another woman. Yet because Helena refused to serve me in bed, I had no choice but to find a willing one.”
I took a deep breath a few times because what I wanted to do was kick, punch, and slap the young man before me. Yet it would cause more problems. So, I calmed myself. “After what you said, I conclude that you aren’t ready yet to have a serious relationship with Helena. If you can cheat her before marriage, it’s a bad example of what can happen in the future.”
“Mrs. Ross—”
“No, I have enough talking with you. Please, I still have enough work to do. You can find another woman, but not my Helena. I am against her accepting you back.”
“Mrs. Ross!”
Since Kenneth didn’t want to leave, I stood and pulled Kenneth’s hand. “We have nothing to discuss anymore. So, please don’t come here anymore and stop persuading Helena. You’ll waste everyone’s time.”
“But what about my parents?”
“What about them?”
“They want me to marry Helena. They liked Helena, even before they met her.”
“It’s not my problem.”
“But it’s a big issue. My parents will inherit me a lot of money, but I must marry Helena first.”
I folded my arms in front of my chest. “So, that’s your real motivation to ask Helena back. What a shameless man! Get out of here! I don’t want to see your face anymore! If I see you approach Helena and me, I’ll call the police and ask for a restraining order issue for you!”
“Mrs. Ross!”
“Out!”
I pushed Kenneth, then closed the door fast. I was furious. I walked back and forth, shaking my head and taking a deep breath to calm my emotions. Then what Kenneth said suddenly crossed my mind. Was it the truth, or did he lie to smear Helena’s reputation? Immediately I took my phone.
I knew that Helena was working, so I only texted her. ‘Call me when you can.’