Chapter 99 Turning point

Ethan’s POV I woke up with a sour taste in my mouth, the inside of my head pounding like I’d spent the night headbutting bricks. My body felt sluggish, like I’d been dragged through mud. I remembered the bar. The whiskey. The way Allen just sat there and let me talk. Or fall apart. Maybe both. I didn’t remember how I got home. Only that Allen must’ve handled it. After showering and trying to wash the alcohol from my skin, I pulled on a fresh T-shirt and slowly made my way downstairs. The house felt too bright. Too quiet. I rubbed my temples as I reached the bottom of the steps. Allen was already there, sitting on the couch with a glass of water in one hand and his phone in the other. He looked up as I entered. “Well, look who survived.” I groaned. “Barely.” He set the phone aside. “How’re you feeling?” “Like I made a fool of myself.” “You did,” he said without missing a beat. “But not in a way that surprised me.” I sighed and dropped into the chair opposite him. “I’m never drinking aga