Chapter 17
The moment Celia got away from the people she couldn’t stand, she quickly slipped her arm out of Ethan’s ||
Thanks for earlier,” she said a little awkwardly.
Than glanced down at his now empty arm, and a flicker of disappointment passed through him. It seemed like he still had a lot of work to do.]
Tr’s nothing. 1–
nut after running into Mason. Ethan suddenly didn’t want to keep playing the slow, passive game. The wanted to stand beside Celia with a name and a rightful place to be someone who truly belonged at her side!||
“Celin 1-
She wasn’t oblivious. In the time they’d spent together, Celia had clearly seen Ethan’s feelings for her. After all, no one would treat someone else that well for no reason.
At first, she thought about turning him down directly. But Ethan had always played it casual, never saying anything outright. And after everything, she found that she could no longer reject him as easily as before
was not like she didn’t feel anything. There was something there, but she thought that it was all happening too fast
She wanted to take her time. That was why she had allowed than to step into her life, hit by bit slowly.]
However, she still wasn’t ready then, so she interrupted him before he could go further. “Let’s get something to eat, okay? We’ve been walking forever, and I’m starving.”
Chan felt a pang of hurt at being cut off so deliberately, but he wasn’t the type to hesitate or drag things out. Since he’d made up his mind to say it, he wouldn’t stop halfway
He had already lost many years with Celia, He didnt want to lose any more and wanted to be with her 0
“Celia. I like you.“1
Hearing Ethan’s confession, Cella froze in place, stunned into silence. She stood there quietly for a long time.
Ediati wer
went on when she remained silent.]
fell for you at first sight during the freshman welcome party. I was pinning to talk to you, but at the time, I was taking over my family’s company. Things ww bectic for me.[]
“By the time I had a moment to breathe, someone else was already by your side. I thought that college relationships wouldn’t last, so I kept waiting for the breakup and my chance.
But then you accepted his proposal. You looked at him with such intense love in your eyes that it made me back away.]]
told myself that it wa
vas fine. As long as you were happy, that was enough. So after you
you got married, I stopped kerpang track at your lite “Bat this time, you walked into my world on your own. And when I found out you were divorced. I was past few weeks, pretending not to understand your rejections and always staying by your side.
so happy. Thats why I’ve been sucking close to you these
−1 thought that maybe just being near you, even just as a friend, would be enough. If you could see me, that was already something|||
nut people are greedy. Now I want more. I don’t want to just be your friend. I want a place in your life
I want to be with you, Cella. I like you. In fact, I love you.“||
However, tan washi telling the whole truth.
He had never intended to stay in Celia life just as a friend. Even after learning was married, he never let go. Instead, bo quietly planned to break them apart
If not for the car accident and the long recovery that followed, he wouldve stepped in much earlier With Brooklyn showing up and causing the divorce, it felt like fate was handing him everything he wanted||
Although he knew that he was to
was taking advantage of Cella when she was vulnerable, he disdict care much about It!
Meanwhile, Celia’s long silence made him unrary.
If she reperts me, then I’ll just keep her somewhere she can only see me he thought darkly
I thought
thought you were just—I didn’t know you
likedame for that long.
Ethan’s words had caught celia off guard. She was both surprised and need. All those years sheid been chasing after Mason, she never realized that someone had been quietly watching her from the shadows
Hearing the emotion in her voice, Ithan felt a twinge of heartache. He gently pulled her into his armes.
In that moment, all the dock thoughts in his mind vanished without a trace. He thought, “Torget it. As long as she’s happy, I can take it slow.“[]
I admit that 1 do like you a little, but I just came out of a failed marriage. I’m scared to start something new. Do you understand what I mean?” she asked ||
The second Ethan heard her say she liked him, joy burst inside him. As for the part about how deep her feelings were, he chose to ignore it completely. As long as she liked him, even a little, he knew he could turn that into something much more.
“It’s okay. As long as you feel something toward me, just stay where you are. Don’t run away, and let me come to you.
When Ethan wrapped his turning hot palm around her cold fingers, Celin suddenly felt something shatter deep in her chest. It was like a glacier cracking apart
Just then, her phone buzzed violently in her pocket. A string of missed calls from unfamiliar numbers lit up the screen.
She powered off her phone, letting the red glow vanish into the bush between them, dissolving into the calm Ethan had wrapped around her.
