Chapter 28

Ethan's POV

I never saw Emily again after that scene in the dining room. If I was to be honest with myself, I'd avoided every sight of her, evading every single place in the house that I knew she would be.

And the effort I took in staying away from her killed me.

It was like slow torture, having to keep away from going to see her, but I needed to maintain it. I didn't want to look into those alluring eyes and see pity for me. I did not want her voice to break under the weight of her unshed tears. I did not want her to feel pain on my account

And what was more, I knew I wouldn't last five minutes in a room alone with her without pushing every rational thought aside and kissing her senseless.

In one fit of rage, I'd lashed out at my mother, unleashing over two decades worth of pain and anger at her. I'd seen th careful facade slip from her eyes as I'd spoken, seen the regret behind her stoic look. I knew she was sorry for being so hard on me growing up, but she hadn't apologized. She ne