How could this happen? Why did it have to be Ethan? After days of chatting and eagerly anticipating their date, how could the man she'd fallen for be Ethan? This had to be a joke—a cruel one. There was no way this could be happening to her, Rayna thought as she rushed toward the door.

Evelyn intercepted Rayna just as she reached her car. The cool evening air and the surrounding quiet only amplified the tension in Rayna's posture. Her friend seemed lost in thought, her fingers nervously clutching her car keys.

"Ray!" Evelyn called softly.

Rayna paused but didn't fully turn. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes already misting. "Evie, I I can't talk right now. I just need to be alone for a bit. Maybe we can talk tomorrow."

Tears began to fall, and Evelyn's heart ached. She quickly moved closer, embracing Rayna warmly.

"Rayna, let's go inside, okay? We can talk about this," Evelyn pleaded softly, unwilling to let Rayna leave in such distress. She had never seen Rayna this emotional, and it worried her.

Rayna gently pulled away, her teary gaze flicking toward the house. Shame burned her cheeks at the thought of confiding in Evelyn about Ethan—gushing about his wit and charm when, in reality, he couldn't stand her.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Evelyn," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Please, I just need to go," she said, wiping her tears.

"I'll let you go, but not like this. You need to calm down," Evelyn said. Rayna nodded.

"I'm calm," Rayna insisted, despite her appearance.

Evelyn followed Rayna to her car and got into the passenger seat. "Don't overthink it, Ray. I know this is a lot, but before you jump to conclusions, hear me out."

"What's there to hear? It's him. ET is Ethan."

Evelyn sighed. "Yes. But Ray, have you considered that he might be your soulmate, as you said the other day? Isn't this a good thing? What are the chances you both connected this way despite everything?"

Rayna shook her head. "This isn't going to work."

"Why not? Don't you think the anonymity of the internet allowed you both to be more relaxed and open, revealing your compatibility?" Evelyn asked softly. "We can't even stand each other in real life. How did this happen? How could this happen? How could I have fallen for a man I can't stand in person? Someone I can't even have a civil conversation with!" Rayna cried. "No, that's not true. You can stand him. You're only like this because he refused to accept your apology and move on"

"Exactly! And somehow, I fell for someone who despises me!"

"You said ET said he's in love with you," Evelyn reminded her.

"We both know Ethan doesn't like me. Evelyn, please. I'm exhausted. I just want to go home. Please, let's stop talking about this," she begged. Evelyn nodded. "Alright. Drive safely. Don't cry. Call me when you get home," she said as she got out of the car.

Evelyn watched Rayna drive away silently, feeling the weight of her friend's pain.

Returning inside, she saw Ethan by the dining table, coat in hand, ready to leave. She started to speak, but Derek caught her eye and subtly shook his head, signaling her to wait.

Derek approached Ethan, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and escorted him out. Ethan muttered to himself as they walked to his car.

Turning to Derek, Ethan exclaimed, "This doesn't make any sense! How can this be? How can she be Rayna? The name doesn't even make sense! How did she go from Rayna to Golden Sun? I used ET! Ethan, ET! She had me fooled!"

Derek, though amused, maintained a straight face. "Take it easy, man. Rayna isn't so bad"

Before Derek could finish, Ethan glared. "Was it you? Did you tell Evelyn I put out the ad, and you made her respond? Or was it Melvin and Sarah? Shit!" He swore, kicking his car tire, setting off the alarm.

"Or maybe it's just fate. Destiny," Derek said with a shrug.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why her, of all people?" Ethan asked, then, cursing again, got into his car and drove off.

Once he was gone, Derek chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Evelyn asked, joining him. She'd been watching from the window.

Derek chuckled softly. "The whole situation. If you think about it, it's funny."

Evelyn shook her head. "I guess, but I can't find the humor right now. Not when Rayna is so heartbroken. What did Ethan say?"

Derek shook his head. "He's still in denial. He didn't say much. He just wants to be alone."

"The same as Rayna. She was crying but wouldn't talk about it," Evelyn sighed, crossing her arms.

Derek rubbed her arms. "Don't lose sleep over it. I'm sure they'll find a way to fix things. It seems like we didn't really have to invite them over after all. They're meant to be."

"What if they don't? Do you really think Ethan will want to fix things? Rayna believes he hates her. The problem is with Ethan, not Rayna," Evelyn said. Derek nodded thoughtfully.

"It's true Ethan holds grudges. But I'm sure they'll be fine, Evie. Let's give them time. I believe they'll sort things out. Ethan won't let something silly get in the way of what he's found with Rayna." She sighed, leaning into Derek's comfort. "I hope you're right."

Evelyn wasn't sure. She still saw the hurt in Rayna's eyes, and knew this wasn't a small issue. But Derek's calm reassured her somewhat. Maybe he was right. Perhaps they just needed space.