Chapter 148: A Race Against Time
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3rd Person Pov
Ethan let out a slow breath, as if he had been mulling something over and finally came to the conclusion that there was no point in holding back anymore. He leaned slightly forward, hands clasped tightly between his knees, staring intently at the road as it slipped by under the streetlights.
"Look," he started quietly, "I know you might have some thoughts about me and Noah. Maybe you believe I’m just pretending to care about him or that I’m trying to get something from h or just want to look good in front of everyone. I get why you don’t trust my intentions."
Adrien shot him a quick glance, tension evident in the way he held himself, even if he tried to mask it.
Ethan pressed on. "But I really do love him. Not in some fleeting high school crush way either. I’ve loved him for a while, long before he ever thought about dating me." His voice had a genuine softness, no defensiveness—just honest emotion. "I treat him right because he deserves it. He’s been through too much already, and I would never hurt him."
Adrien didn’t reply, but something shifted in him—his grip on the wheel relaxed a bit, and he took a deeper breath, as if Ethan’s words had hit home.
Ethan kept his gaze steady on Adrien’s profile. "I understand that you’re trying to protect him. You’ve known him longer, and considering the trouble you put him through, I see why you want to make things right now. But you need to know something, too." He leaned back, eyes unwavering. "I would never let anything happen to him either. So instead of us fighting like we usually do, maybe we can work together for tonight. Just tonight. For him."
The car’s engine hummed beneath them, filling the silence that hung in the air. Ethan’s offer hung there, a shaky truce born out of love and urgency.
Adrien let out a slow, heavy breath, as if he had to let something go before he could respond. "Fine," he muttered, but there was more weight to his word than mere irritation. "We’ll work together. For Noah. After this, we go back to hating each other’s guts."