As Diana drove me to the hospital, she unexpectedly apologized and broke the tense silence.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened with Ethan," she said, her eyes fixed on the road. "He... he has this condition. When he loses control of his emotions, he can become violent. It's not an excuse, but..."
I turned to her, incredulous. "A condition? He nearly killed me, Diana."
She winced. "I know. It's just that he hates being slapped. Something from his past. It triggers him."
I shook my head, anger bubbling up inside me. "That doesn't justify what he did. I want nothing to do with him, ever again."
Diana shot me a sidelong glance. "Are you sure? You're not just playing hard to get?"
I let out a bitter laugh. "Playing hard to get with a man who almost strangled me to death? N
