The shift didn’t happen all at once.
It was subtle.
Quiet.
But impossible to miss once I noticed it.
Ethan stopped pushing.
No more lingering comments.
No more deliberate tension.
No more moments that felt like he was trying to pull something out of me.
Everything became… professional.
Clean.
Distant.
Exactly what I said I wanted.
So why did it feel wrong?
I sat at my desk, staring at my screen, fully aware that I hadn’t typed anything in the last two minutes.
This was ridiculous.
I got what I wanted.
Control.
Clarity.
Distance.
So why did it feel like something was missing?
“Ava.”
I blinked, snapping out of it.
Lila stood beside my desk again, watching me closely.
“You’ve been doing that a lot today.”
“Doing what?”
“Staring into space like you’re questioning your
