Chapter 10

Ethan drove aimlessly through the night. The soft glow from the dashboard outlined his tense profile. The vehicle was dead silent, save for the low hum of the engine. Iris' final look replayed in his mind over and over again. It was broken and hollow, yet frighteningly calm, as if she had already given up. Ethan slammed his fist into the steering wheel, and the horn let out a harsh blast. Regret crashed over him like acid, corroding his insides. The pain was sharp and scorching, spreading from his chest all the way to his fingertips. "Iris…" He parted his lips, but nothing else came out. He hit the brakes and pulled over on a deserted roadside. Leaning over the steering wheel, his shoulders trembled uncontrollably as suppressed sobs escaped through his clenched teeth. The excuses he never voiced, the belated apologies, and the justifications he could no longer fool himself with were all lodged in his throat and turned into scorching hot tears. After who knew how long, he rais