Chapter 59

Ethan's POV

I carried the food to the dining table and headed back to the room where Emily was still sitting, looking vulnerable and hurt. I didn't feel like continuing our intense conversation, but I couldn't just ignore her either. She had been pouring her heart out to me, and it would be a jerk move to just walk away. So, I took a deep breath, trying to muster up some empathy, and sat down beside her, hoping we could find a way to move forward, even if it was just a silent meal together.

The silence was suffocating, so I tried to break it with a lighthearted comment.

"Hey, I'm starving! I ordered dinner, want to join me?" But she just shook her head, her eyes still red from crying.

I persisted.

"Come on, you should eat something, you look weak."

She gazed into my eyes, her hands extended, asking for my help to get up from the bed. I gently lifted her, supporting her frail body as we walked to the dining table together, the tension between us palpable but also, somehow