Chapter 35

• Ethan sat at the dining table in the Cross mansion, pushing his food around his plate without much interest. His mind was elsewhere, racing with a thousand thoughts about Ariel. She hadn’t spoken to him properly all day, and he hadn’t even been able to reach her on the phone. Each passing hour without her words felt like an eternity. He poked at the mashed potatoes again, sighing, wishing he could simply teleport to her side.
• “Ethan, sweetheart, you’ve barely touched your food. Are you feeling alright?” Eleanor, his mother, asked softly, placing a hand over his and giving him a concerned look.
• Ethan glanced up at her, forcing a weak smile. “I’m fine, Mom. Really. Just… tired, I guess.”