Three Days Earlier
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3rd Person's POV
Ethan stepped out of Shellie's Diner, the door shutting behind him with a jingle of the bell that felt oddly hollow. The night air hit him like a splash of cold water—sharp and jolting, but it didn't do anything to calm the furious pounding in his chest. He shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, bowing his head as he tried to steady his breathing, but every time he blinked, Noah's face flashed before him, guilt swirling in his eyes, the tremor in his voice echoing in his mind when he'd said it.
'He's my stepbrother.'
Those words still rang in his ears, each one like a bruise he just couldn't shake off.
