#Chapter 31 – In New Light

Olivia's POV I paced back and forth in my office, chewing my bottom lip. I needed to focus on work but couldn’t focus on anything except the nagging feeling that Ethan’s refusal to complete the Mating Bond was a giant neon sign of personal rejection. No matter how many times I tried to shake it off, a hollow ache gnawed at me, whispering that maybe I wasn’t good enough. I kept replaying moments from the past few weeks. Ethan had been possessive, protective even. But whenever the possibility of completing the bond surfaced, there was always hesitation, as if he couldn’t bring himself to take that step. I’d been so caught up in the chaos, in our plans, that I’d barely allowed myself to question it until now. I sank down onto the edge of my desk, sighing. My thoughts spiraled, the worst ones bubbling up from places I’d worked hard to ignore. He married me out of necessity, I know that. I’m nothing more than a convenient partner in all this. But does he regret it? Does he t