章 15: Chapter 15: Unraveling Ties

Present – Ethan's POV

I roll over, my gaze resting on Lily's sleeping form beside me. The rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing usually brings me comfort, but tonight, my mind is tangled in the past—caught in the jagged edges of memories I can't seem to let go. There's a knot in my chest that tightens every time I think about Vivian, the woman I promised to love but betrayed.

I try to tell myself that it's over, that Lily is my future, but no matter how hard I try to block it out, memories of Vivian keep resurfacing, like a wound that refuses to heal.

Flashback – Ethan's POV

The morning after Vivian left, the house felt emptier than it had ever been. Her absence was deafening. I expected her to come back like she always did after our arguments. I convinced myself it was just another of our fights—a cycle we'd been repeating for years.