Scarlett's POV
Ethan's words were everything I had ever wanted to hear from someone: to be chosen, to be loved, and to be seen. Ethan was handsome, wealthy, and powerful; he was the kind of man any woman would give anything to be with. But my heart twisted painfully in my chest.
I looked at him, my vision blurring as the cold water mixed with fresh tears.
"Ethan," I whispered, my voice trembling. "You are... you're every woman's dream. Elara is a fool for how she treats you. Truly."
A small, hopeful spark lit up his tired eyes, but it died just as quickly when he saw the look on my face. "There's a 'but' coming, isn't there?" he asked, his voice thick with dread.
