Ethan forcefully pushed Madelyn away, causing her to stagger backward and fall, her hand landing on scattered glass shards. Pain surged through her as her palm began bleeding, the crimson hue staining her clothes and widening rapidly.

A fleeting glimmer of regret appeared in Ethan's eyes, prompting him to move slightly toward her. But just as quickly as it came, the emotion receded, and he froze.

Purposefully turning his back to her, he grappled with his internal conflict. Gazing out the French windows, he closed his eyes, and his voice, filled with restrained emotion, whispered, "You should go."

He didn't want to cause her any more harm, but the sting of her betrayal was too fresh, too raw. In his mind, thoughts swirled. 'I loved her with everything I had, ready to lay the world at her feet. But she made a fool out of me, deceiving me at every turn. Did she laugh at my expense while with Zach, sneering at my naivety?'

Madelyn endured the pain as she carefully extracted the glass p