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Part 35 – The Breaking Point
It was lunch break, and Anna sat on the grass with a few classmates. Among them was Ryan—a funny, easy-going boy who always managed to make people laugh. Today, he was telling some silly story, and Anna couldn't stop giggling.
Ryan leaned closer, whispering something that made her laugh even harder, and before leaving, he pulled her into a quick friendly hug.
That's when Ethan appeared.
His eyes darkened instantly. Without a word, he stormed toward them, shoving Ryan back.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ethan roared, his fist slamming into Ryan's jaw.
"Ethan, stop!" Anna cried, rushing to stand between them, but Ethan pushed forward, landing another punch on Ryan. Students around gasped, some yelling for a teacher.
"Ethan, that's enough!" Anna shouted, her voice trembling. "It was just a hug! Nothing else!"
Ryan wiped the blood from his lip, glaring, but didn't fight back. Ethan's chest rose and fell with rage, his jaw tight as he pointed a finger at Ryan.
"Stay away from her," Ethan growled. "Don't even breathe near her again."
Before Ryan could reply, Ethan grabbed Anna's wrist roughly and dragged her away. His grip was tight, almost painful, but she didn't resist.
Once they were away from the crowd, Anna finally looked up at him, her eyes glassy. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to make you angry. I didn't know it would upset you like that."
Ethan stopped, staring at her with a mixture of fury and fear. For a second, it seemed like he might explode again—but instead, he pulled her into his chest, holding her tight as if afraid she'd slip away.
"Don't ever let anyone touch you like that," he muttered into her hair, his voice low, dangerous yet desperate.
Anna didn't reply. She just closed her eyes, heart racing, wondering how something so small had turned into such a storm.
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