Chapter 226

• Lily’s POV
• Just as I thought I was about to plunge straight into hell, a powerful force grabbed me and held me tight. That familiar, heart-wrenching scent of grass and wood enveloped me. Ethan. Ethan’s arms.
• Every tense fiber in me relaxed all at once. A flood of humiliation and aftershocks washed over me. I couldn’t hold it back. I clung to him like a lifeline, wrapped my arms around him with all my strength, buried my face in his warm chest, and breathed in that constant, soothing scent that always gives me a sense of security. The fear, the helplessness, the cold—they melted away in his embrace. He was there. I was safe.