Chapter 247

Ethan's gaze locked onto mine, his expression sincere yet laced with a stubborn intensity. But I just laughed coldly. "Love? Do you even know what love is?" He kept talking about love, but he hadn't done a thing to prove it. Maybe my firm stance caught him off guard. His eyes flickered with a hint of unease as if he hadn't expected me to be so resolute, to sever ties so cleanly. I'd had too much to drink; my stomach burned from the alcohol. But if I wanted to make my mark and carve out a place for myself in this world, dealing with moments like this was part of the price. I pressed my lips together and forced myself to stand tall, looking up at him without flinching. It felt just like it did in my past life—always looking up at him, always standing beneath him. I had been like a flower stuck in the mud, always gazing up at Ethan, who remained pristine and untouchable, floating above me in the clouds. "I really do love you. What happened between us has nothing to do with Leah. I'