Beneath the surface

20

It was 6:30 PM, and Ava had just finished wrapping up her work for the day. She had returned to work after her lunch break, her focus solely on the tasks at hand. The day had flown by smoothly, with no major hiccups.

As she was about to leave, Ethan appeared beside her. "Hey, let's go home together," he said, his voice casual.

Ava's expression remained icy cold. "I don't think so," she replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "I have plans with Max, and I'm not going home anytime soon. In fact, I won't be coming back early."

Ethan's face fell, and he looked taken aback by her response. "Oh, okay... I thought we could hang out," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Ava's gaze was unyielding. "I don't have time for that. And even if I did, I wouldn't waste it on you."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Ethan looking hurt and jealous. As she disappeared into the crowd, Ava couldn't help but smirk in victory. She had played her cards perfectly, and Ethan was falling right into her trap.

The smirk lingered on her lips as she walked off, her heels clicking on the floor. She knew she had the upper hand now, and she was determined to keep it that way.

Ethan trudged home, his feet heavy with disappointment. Ava's rejection still lingered in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of hurt. Why had she been so cold towards him? He thought they had a connection, but maybe he was wrong.

As he walked into his house, he dropped his bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch. He let out a deep sigh, his mind replaying the conversation with Ava. He couldn't understand why she had been so distant.

As he sat there, he began to realize that his feelings for Ava went beyond mere attraction. He felt a pang in his chest when she rejected him, and he couldn't bear the thought of being without her. It dawned on him that he was in love with Ava.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He had never felt this way about anyone before. He thought about the first time he saw her at work, the sudden attraction he felt towards her. He remembered the times they spent together at the beach, laughing and talking like they had known each other for years. All those moments came flooding back, and it all made sense now.

As Ethan sat on the couch, he knew that loving Ava would come with its own set of challenges. Given his family's dark past and the world he was a part of, he wasn't sure if he had the right to drag her into it. But he couldn't help the way he felt. He was willing to take the risk, to protect her from the shadows that loomed over him.

With a newfound determination, Ethan made a silent promise to himself. He would do everything in his power to love and protect Ava, to shield her from the darkness that threatened to consume him. He would fight against his own nature, against the world he was born into, to give Ava the life she deserved.

Ethan's eyes closed, and he whispered a promise to the universe. "I'll protect her, no matter what it takes. I'll keep her safe from my world, and I'll love her with every fiber of my being."

With a sense of resolve, Ethan opened his eyes, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to take the chance for Ava.