Chapter 267

Clara Walton wasn’t exactly thrilled, but in the end, she could only stand there and let Ethan Blackwood lead the way. She stayed stubbornly silent, though, refusing to say a word. Ethan, calm as ever, spoke up: "All the years you were gone, I went to every place you liked, ate the food you used to enjoy. So yeah, I kind of got to know River City pretty well." His voice was low and steady, like he was trying to explain something important to her. "Whenever I felt completely down, I’d just go to those spots. Weirdly enough, doing that helped me breathe again. Over time, I guess I just sort of memorized every corner of this place." He wasn’t making it up. Every word was true. It was only after she left that Ethan realized what Clara’s world was really like—it just all came too late. But now that Clara was standing in front of him again, Ethan wasn’t going to waste another chance. Still holding her hand, his gaze locked onto her face—serious and intense. There was a fire in his eyes, so r