Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph
Chapter 59 I'm Not a Stranger

"Back then, Ethan must've really loved her." That simple sentence felt like a knife to my heart, making it hard to breathe. My phone rang. It was Bella. I felt a bit let down. She asked where I was. I lied, said I was fine, and told her not to worry.

After hanging up, I stared at my phone, feeling lost. Ethan hadn't called since I left. Was he figuring out what to say, or did he just not care and kept having fun? "Did Fiona love him?" I asked, even though I knew the answer would hurt.

Jason, holding a cigarette and a beer, took a sip and said, "Fiona loved Ethan just as much. She was just more insecure and less brave."

I thought, 'Insecure and less brave sounds like me. Even the most confident woman might feel insecure around Ethan, let alone someone like me, a divorced woman.'

Jason continued, "Before we met Fiona, she was a well-known bar singer. But ten years ago, bars were chaotic. Female singers often got harassed by drunks, so the job was looked down upon. One time, Ethan fought a customer who harassed Fiona. That's how they met."

I remembered the fight at Blue Ocean Bar. Ethan's anger then was because Stephen harassed Connie, reminding him of Fiona.

That relationship must've been deep, so much so that even now, a similar scene could stir his emotions.

"Ethan and I got into med school together, but he was forced into it. My grandpa was a doctor and wanted us to follow his path. I liked medicine, but Ethan was into music. He started a band and dragged me into it."

I stared at him, shocked. "So you're in The Thorn Birds Band?"

Jason looked a bit embarrassed, flicking his cigarette ash. "Yeah, I'm the drummer and write lyrics."

I asked, "Did you write 'Flicker of Hope'?"

Jason smiled and nodded.

That song always gave me strength growing up. Now, the lyricist was right in front of me. I was surprised and in awe, forgetting my earlier sadness.

"I've always loved that song. It feels like it was made for me," I said.

Jason took a drag of his cigarette, his gaze warm. "I'm glad it resonates with someone."

"But you don't seem like a drummer," I said bluntly.

Jason raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Really? What instrument do you think suits me?"

I thought for a moment. "Violin or piano. Drummers seem wild to me."

"Wild?" Jason chuckled, downed his beer, and said, "Maybe I have a wild side you haven't seen yet."

I frowned, trying to picture him drumming wildly, but shook my head. "Hard to imagine."

Jason leaned forward, elbows on the table, looking at me with interest. "So, I chose the wrong hobby? Ethan's great at guitar. Do you think it suits him?"

Mentioning the guitar brought back bad memories. The first time Ethan got mad at me was over a guitar. Now I realized it wasn't about the guitar; it was about Fiona.

I felt down again. "I've never seen him play. He said he couldn't."

Jason stubbed out his cigarette and sighed. "After Fiona died, Ethan never picked up the guitar again, and The Thorn Birds Band disbanded."

I thought, 'So Ethan never got over Fiona. Arthur said Ethan wanted to sleep with his ex because Arthur slept with Ethan's. But weren't Ethan and Fiona deeply in love? How could that be?'

"What happened between Fiona and Arthur? Why did she commit suicide?" I asked.

Jason shook his head. "Only Ethan knows the details, but he never talks about it. The day after Fiona's incident, Ethan beat up Arthur at school. We think Fiona's death might be related to Arthur. Ethan was so aggressive that if other students hadn't called the authorities, Arthur would've been in worse shape. Because of that, Ethan got expelled."

Hearing this, I felt suffocated and opened another beer, downing it. When I put the can down, I noticed Jason staring at me with a complex expression, like he was seeing someone familiar. "Do you love him?" Jason asked.

I wanted to ask myself the same thing. 'Do I love Ethan? If I didn't, it wouldn't hurt, right? But if I do, when did it start? I don't know.'

I stayed silent, but Jason seemed to know the answer, smiling faintly and playing with a can tab. "Getting expelled was what Ethan wanted. He never cared about studying medicine."

"But he didn't continue with music either," I said.

Jason opened another beer but didn't rush to drink it. His arm hung over the back of a chair, and the lines of his neck were quite attractive.

I didn't know his alcohol tolerance, but he hadn't drunk much, and his face was already a bit red.

"Ethan has a great business mind and is very successful now. Maybe choosing business was the right decision for him," Jason said.

'What about his dreams?' I thought. Maybe Ethan's dreams died with Fiona.

When people were young, they placed their dreams on a pedestal. But over time, that passion faded, and setbacks made it hard to chase those dreams again.

The current Ethan felt so distant. I should've seen it clearly and not harbored any illusions.

I felt pathetic. 'Why do the people I meet never truly care for me?'

Later, I drank a lot, and Jason, probably understanding my pain, didn't stop me. Instead, he helped me open the beers.

When Jason's face became blurry, the people at the next table started arguing. It quickly escalated into a fight, and one of them smashed a beer bottle.

Since we were close, glass shards flew towards me. I blocked most of them, but my face still got nicked, and I had glass shards all over me.

Jason reacted quickly, pulling me away from the fight.

"Are you okay?" He moved my hand away from my face and frowned.

"Is my face ruined?" I was dizzy and could barely stand, but I was still worried about my face.

Jason looked at me, seemingly amused. "No, but you have glass shards on you. We need to clean them off. Don't move."

He helped me sit and carefully picked the glass shards off my arms, shoulders, and dress. He was very gentle, probably to avoid hurting me. I felt awkward and stiff. After he finished, he draped his jacket over me and helped me walk out. The place was a mess, and as we walked out, we could hear police sirens approaching. Jason helped me to the curb and hailed a cab. Once inside, I leaned back in the seat, and Jason got in next to me.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

Jason looked at me and asked, "Where should I take you? To Ethan's place?"

I shook my head. "No, not to his place."

Then I heard Jason tell the driver, "Broadway Alley, East Avenue."

The car started moving, and my head swayed. I tried to look at Jason. "How do you know I live there?"

The light in the cab was dim, and my vision was blurry. I thought Jason was smiling. "You told me."

"Did I?" I patted my head, unable to remember.

Jason grabbed my wrist to stop me from hitting myself. "Yes."

After getting out of the cab, Jason helped me walk into Broadway Alley.

I wasn't sure if it was me or the road, but I felt like I was walking on cotton, stumbling. If it weren't for Jason, I would've fallen.

I knew I was really drunk and regretted it because being drunk made me feel useless. Luckily, Jason was there. It was amazing how much I trusted him after just meeting him.

But then I remembered something Ethan had said. "Ethan told me that women shouldn't get drunk in front of strangers," I said. For some reason, I remembered his words so clearly. "I'm not a stranger," Jason said.

Then I giggled. "I know, you're Ethan's cousin."

Jason suddenly stopped. "Emmy, do you really not remember me?"