"Oh..." Ethan's jaw clenched, the tension visible as if he hadn't expected her to cut him off so abruptly. His eyes flickered with something unspoken, but he remained composed despite all the emotions he felt in that moment.
He wanted to do anything but that, but leaving her or detach from her.
Yet, he knew she was in a bad moment of her life and he had to respect her space.
"I just want to avoid getting attached to you after everything I've been through," Madisyn said, her voice steady but laced with vulnerability. "I know you wouldn't date, and it would just make things complicated. If it gets too deep between us, I'll get hurt. And I can't let that happen again."
Ethan's expression remained unreadable, his face a perfect mask. It was as if her words didn't reach him, but the tightness in his posture betrayed him. "It's fine," he said, his voice cool, though a glint of something flashed in his eyes. "I respect your decision. I get where you're coming from."
