The man who hurt her

Nate's apology hung in the air, devoid of the solace Ethel sought. As he turned to walk away, the distance between them seemed to widen with each step. The bar, once a place of shared moments and unspoken connection, now echoed with the hollow sound of footsteps against the cold floor.

Ethel stood there, rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on Nate's retreating figure. The pain of rejection pierced through her, and she felt a lump forming in her throat. The vibrant hues of the bar, once filled with the promise of something more, now seemed muted and desolate.

Tears welled up in Ethel's eyes as she struggled to comprehend the abrupt unraveling of what she thought was a genuine connection. The silence in the bar was shattered by the muffled sound of her stifled sobs.

"Nate, please," she called out, her voice choked with emotion. "You can't just walk away like this. We shared something real."

Nate paused for a moment, his back still turned to her. There was a lingering hesitation, as i