Elle’s POV
I felt a small ache in my chest as the words left my mouth. It was a dull pain, but deep. Like something old and buried had cracked open again. The kind of pain that doesn’t scream—it just sits there. Quiet. Heavy. A reminder that it’s still there, even if you don’t talk about it.
I wasn’t trying to be dramatic. I wasn’t trying to make him feel sorry for me. It was just the truth. My truth. And saying it out loud made it real all over again.
Ethan didn’t rush to speak. He didn’t shift uncomfortably or clear his throat like most people do when they don’t know how to respond. He didn’t look away. He just sat there, still and calm, like he heard me. Like he really heard every word.
His silver eyes didn’t flicker. They stayed locked on mine. Watching me. Studying me. His face
