Vanessa
I breathe slowly, deeply. And for the first time since I left that building… the air goes in without hurting. The whiskey doesn't burn the same anymore; now it has flavor. Bitter, strong… but manageable. Like I should have been from the start.
I hold the glass between my fingers, looking at it for a second before bringing it to my lips. This time I don't drink as if I need to numb myself… but as if I'm thinking. Listening to him, understanding him… Him, Alexander, his words, his way of seeing things. And I hate to admit it… but he's right. From the outside… I looked weak, predictable, pathetic.
I barely press my lips together and lower my gaze for a moment. I feel… exposed, not in front of Ethan. But in front of him, in front of a man who doesn't really know me… and yet he wa
