"Did I ever say I was going to drop you in front of the hotel?" Ethan asked, his voice calm but edged with a blunt finality that cut through the tension like a blade.
There was no emotion, no hesitation—just pure, unfiltered truth in his tone.
The words struck Ava like a cold slap. She blinked rapidly, stunned, her lips parting as if to speak but no words came. Her entire body stilled as she turned sharply toward him, her brows knitting together in disbelief.
For a second, she wondered if she was hearing things wrong.
"You're joking… right?" Ava finally managed, her voice faltering as she leaned slightly forward, trying to catch a flicker of humor or softness in his face—anything that might suggest he wasn't serious.
But instead of answering, she saw it—the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his teeth clenched beneath the skin, the low simmer of something unreadable in his eyes.
And then, without a word, Ethan shifted.
