"You said you'd spend Christmas Eve with me."
She didn’t even think, just blurted it out at Ethan Shaw’s back.
The Shaws weren’t big on Western holidays, Christmas didn’t mean much to them. But to her—Isabella Goodwin—it was something she had looked forward to every year since she was little. Her family used to make it feel like a second New Year. It was warm, cozy, full of joy—way better than the usual loud chaos of traditional holidays.
But clearly, Ethan didn’t feel the same way. Even now, with her already upset, he still insisted on taking Nora Murray back?
"It’s okay, Ethan. I’m fine. I can get home myself."
Nora looked awkward, clearly uncomfortable. She waved her hands quickly and said,
"You’ve already taken time to go to church with me. If that ends up starting
