The Ice-Cold General Learned Regret in the Language of Roses Novel

The gallery was brightly lit and full of perfume and designer suits . As one of the young artists in the show , Scarlett stood in front of her painting , accepting congratulations and answering questions from guests . She was poised and at ease , a natural kind of charm in every word and gesture . From the edge of the crowd , Ethan watched her , his gaze lingering on her with a greed that refused to let go for even a second .

Just then , a well - dressed , blond young man with clear blue eyes walked up to her with a glass of wine in hand , launching into smooth , fluent English , his expression openly warm and adr He was apparently the son of an ambassador , born into money and influence , har charming . e and effortlessly The way he looked at Scarlett was the way a man looked at the woman he loved - hot , intent , and completely focused . Jealousy flashed through Ethan so fiercely it felt like fire roaring straight up the back of his skull , burning away what little reason and restraint he had left .

He couldn't stand the way that man was looking at her , couldn't stand seeing her smile for someone else . He shoved through the crowd and strode forward , and under the startled stares of Scarlett and the ambassador's son , he grabbed her wrist in a brutal , desperate grip . Her skin was warm and silky under his fingers , and his heart slammed against his ribs like he'd just gotten back something priceless he'd lost . His voice came out rough , threaded with command and the faintest edge of pleading he couldn't quite hide . " Scarlett ... come back with me .

" She hadn't seen it coming , and pain shot through her wrist where he held her . She turned , stunned , and when she realized who was touching her , her eyes went from shock to ice - cold , unmasked hatred in an instant . She yanked her hand free , like she'd just touched something filthy , stepped back to put space between them , and when she spoke , her beautiful eyes were hard with frost and her voice was clear a..u cutting , thick with mockery . " General Foster , show some respect . Whatever there was between us ended a long time ago .

" Chapter 20 66.67 % Heads turned around them , curiosity and speculation flickering in every glance . The ambassador's son frowned and stepped forward as if to shield her . Ethan didn't care about any of that . In his world , there was only Scarlett's small , frozen , merciless face . He moved in again , ignoring her struggle and the looks around them , dragging her toward a quieter corner of the gallery . " Scarlett , listen to me .

" Ethan's eyes were rimmed red , and his voice shook with urgency and pain as the words tumbled out , all the feelings he'd choked down for so long finally breaking loose . " I know I was wrong . I was a bastard before , blind and cruel . I lied to you , hurt you for someone else , and that's on me . Scarlett , ! love you . I really do . When I almost died out at that border outpost , that's when it f without you . Come back with me , please . We can start over .

I'll give you anything it me - I can't live Pinned between the wall and his body , Scarlett had no choice but to stand there and listen to his late , desperate flood of love and regret . Her face didn't soften at all . If anything , her expression only grew colder and more scathing . When he finally ran out of words , breathing hard , looking at her with a kind of desperate hope , she slowly lifted her gaze to his . Her eyes were like ice picks , and the words that slipped from her red lips were even colder . " Ethan , your apology - and this so - called love of yours ...

" She paused , the corner of her mouth curving into a razor - sharp , mocking smile . " All of it is just disgusting to me ." " Don't ever show up in front of me again . " She shoved him away , smoothed down her slightly rumpled dress , and her tone was flat and final , leaving him no room at all . " Otherwise , I'll have no problem asking the local police to escort you out . " With that , she refused to look at his suddenly bloodless face or the shattered light in his eyes .

She straightened her shoulders like a queen , turned on her heel , and walked back into the glittering lights and chattering crowd of the gallery without a backward glance . Ethan stood where she'd left him , as if someone had ripped every last bit of warmth and life out of his body . The soft music drifting through the gallery and the guests ' easy laughter blurred into ba yound noise . All he could feel was a cold that went straight through him from the soles of his feet , freezing him in place . It was like plunging into a frozen lake , with no way back .

Chapter 20 66.67 % 10 Ethan didn't leave . That one word- " disgusting " -felt like a pair of poisoned knives , shattering what little pride and hope he had left . But he still didn't leave the country , didn't leave the city where she lived . A stubborn , almost deranged obsession that wouldn't stop until it crashed and burned kept him there . The delegation's schedule wasn't over yet , and every scrap of free time he had , he spent like a ghost , haunting the sidewalk outside the apartment building where Scarlett had rented a place .

He knew how low it was , how much he looked like some deranged stalker , but h He needed to see her . Even if it was only from far away , even if it was just a glimp edge off the bone - deep ache and restless panic inside him . He watched her leave on time every morning to head to class . ار ' t help himself . her back , it took the He watched her come home in the evenings , laughing with classmates , sometimes with an armful of art supplies , sometimes with grocery bags from the supermarket . Her life was steady and full , bright and busy , untouched by his presence .

She never even glanced toward the spot where he hid in the shadows . It was like he didn't exist at all . Ethan tried sending flowers . He picked out an expensive bouquet of deep red roses flown in from abroad , lush and vivid , almost exactly like the ones she'd adored back in Southport . He had the florist deliver them , along with an unsigned card that only held one clumsy line : [ I'm sorry . ] Then he waited at the corner , watching her open the door , watching the delivery handed over , watching as she didn't even bother to read the card .

She just frowned , the slightest crease in her brow , and without a second thought tossed the entire armful of roses straight into the communal trash can outside her building . The motion was clean and efficient , with not a trace of hesitation . He tried gifts next . The latest pieces from a jewelry brand she used to love , a limited - edition perfume she'd been obsessed with , even a few small , quirky things he thought might make her smile . Chapter 20 66.67 % Every single one ended up like the roses , dumped into that same cold metal trash can without so much as a second look .

The moment that almost broke him came after he'd kept vigil there for days and nights in a row . One early morning , as the light was just coming up , he looked up and saw a shirt hanging over the railing of Scarlett's balcony - a wide , plain white dress shirt that unmistakably belonged to a man . The shirt fluttered lazily in the foreign morning breeze , and the sight of it felt like a blade twisting behind his ribs . 66.67 % admin