I hadn't seen or heard from Ethan for a week after our meeting.
It was strange.
A part of me—one I didn't want to acknowledge—had missed him. The way his eyes lit up when he saw me, the way his voice softened whenever he said my name. But another part of me couldn't shake the sting of betrayal.
Whenever I thought of him now, the hazy haunting memories of my kidnapping resurfaced, dragging up the fear I had long tried to suppress.
I finally saw him again during our college entrance exams. He looked handsome, as always, but there was something different about him—an exhaustion etched into his face, dark circles under his eyes.
When his gaze landed on me, his expression changed. His eyes brightened, as though I was the very thing he'd been searching for.
My heart wavered, just for a moment.
But then the memories came rushing back. My brothers' warnings. Theo's guilt. Ethan's own admission.
