đź’Ą Chapter 14 –Â
The figure stepped out from behind the trees.
And my world stopped.
It wasn't a stranger.
It wasn't a friend.
It was Ethan — the boy I thought I'd lost years ago.
"Impossible…" I breathed.
Jace's grip on my wrist tightened, his body instantly tense. "You know him?"
Know him? I used to dream about him. The first kiss I ever had was with him… before he disappeared without a word.
"Valerie," Ethan said, his voice hoarse, like he hadn't spoken my name in years. "You can't trust him."
Jace stepped forward, his tone icy. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Ethan's eyes burned into mine. "He hasn't told you, has he? The real reason he's here?"
I looked between them, my chest tightening. "What are you talking about?"
Jace's jaw flexed, his silence loud enough to be an answer.
Ethan took another step closer. "He's not here for you… he's here because of me. And if you don't walk away right now, you're going to end up in the middle of something you can't escape."
My heartbeat was a drum in my ears.
Two men from my past, standing in front of me—one I'd loved, one I'd tried to forget—both hiding pieces of the truth.
And in that moment, I realized…
This wasn't just about love anymore.
It was about survival.