Clara
"They turned out beautifully," Ethan said, entering the room. His voice snapped me out of my trance immediately…
I blinked several times before turning to face him.
He had just loosened his tie and had a calm expression, tired from the day… but as soon as his eyes met mine, that calmness shifted slightly. Because he was really looking at me. And Ethan always knew when something was wrong with me.
I forced a smile. One that didn't even feel real to me.
"Thank you… they're lovely."
He walked slowly toward me, observed the flowers arranged in the vase, and then looked at me again. Too attentive, too perceptive.
"Yes," he murmured. "But you can tell me what's going on now."
I felt my stomach clench.
He put a hand in his pants pocket while holding my gaze.
"You can't f
