Sophia leaned against the railing of Ethan's balcony, staring out at the twinkling city lights below. The evening air was cool and refreshing, but her mind was anything but calm. She had left her father's office feeling suffocated by the weight of his expectations, and the one place she found herself wanting to escape to was here—Ethan's.It was strange how much comfort she now found in his presence. What was meant to be a charade had grown into something more, something real. It scared her how easily he had broken through the walls she spent years building."Hey," Ethan's voice came from behind her, soft and warm. She turned to find him walking toward her, two mugs of hot chocolate in hand."Thanks," she murmured, taking one of the mugs from him and sipping slowly.He stood beside her, their shoulders brushing lightly as they both gazed out at the city. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was one of those rare silences that felt comfortable—like the world had stilled, leaving just the two of them to share the quiet."You seemed off today," Ethan said, glancing at her. "I know we're not supposed to dig into each other's personal lives, but... you don't have to carry everything on your own, you know."Sophia bit her lip, feeling the familiar ache in her chest. She had spent so long pretending to be strong, pretending that nothing could crack her. But here he was, seeing through it all without her saying a word."I just... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's hard."Ethan set his mug down on the railing and turned to face her. "What's hard? Talk to me, Soph."The way he said her name—so gentle, so genuine—made her feel like she could unravel everything right there in front of him. She looked up into his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, she felt the urge to let someone in."I've always tried to live up to what my father wants," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "To be who he expects me to be. And I thought I was okay with it... until recently. Now, I don't know if I can keep being that person."Ethan's expression softened, and he reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was so tender, it made her heart ache in ways she couldn't explain."You don't have to be anything other than yourself, Sophia. You're enough—just as you are," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. "You don't have to live in someone else's shadow."Her breath caught, and for a moment, all the confusion and doubt swirling in her mind seemed to fade. Ethan's words reached a place deep inside her that had longed for validation, for someone to see her for who she truly was—not just as Richard Bennett's daughter.Without thinking, she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close, and they stood there like that—two people who had stumbled into something real, something unexpected.The warmth of his embrace felt safe, and for the first time, Sophia allowed herself to enjoy it without the weight of expectations pressing down on her."I don't know what I'm doing anymore," she whispered, her voice barely audible."That's okay," Ethan replied softly, his breath warm against her hair. "We'll figure it out together."The words were simple, but they struck deep. The idea of Ethan being by her side, not as part of some fake arrangement, but as someone who truly cared, made her heart flutter. But it also terrified her. How could she betray him now? How could she use him as her father wanted when everything about him felt so genuine?Sophia closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the moment. She knew that soon she would have to make a choice—a choice between loyalty to her father and following her own heart. But right now, in Ethan's arms, she didn't want to think about it.All she wanted was to stay here a little longer, in this perfect, fragile moment.