Ethan Sanders often found himself lost in Claire Bennett’s eyes, two pools of amber light that seemed to hold the entire world within them. She was a dream, one that he had somehow stumbled into. At 26, Ethan was smart, ambitious, and driven—but emotionally dense, especially when it came to understanding the woman he loved. Claire, at 22, had a softness to her, a warmth that melted his every barrier, and yet Ethan never fully understood how much she gave of herself.

Their relationship, though full of love, was built on an unspoken understanding—a gentle dance where Claire always leaned in, and Ethan, busy with his life, took her presence for granted. He loved her, yes, but his ways were careless, and he never truly grasped how much she sacrificed for him.

It was the evening of their argument when everything shifted. The night had started innocently enough, with Ethan joining his friends for drinks at their usual haunt. The pub was loud, with clinking glasses and the faint smell of fried food filling the air. Ethan wasn’t drunk, but the alcohol had loosened his tongue and his heart. Jack and Ryan teased him about Claire—how perfect she was, how lucky he was to have her.

“She’s practically a saint, man,” Jack laughed, sloshing his beer. “How do you keep up with her?”

Ethan smirked, though his heart wasn’t in it. “She’s great, yeah, but sometimes it’s like she’s smothering me. I don’t need someone hovering over me all the time.”

But as the night wore on, those careless words echoed in his mind. And when he walked in, Claire was there, waiting, just as she always was. The soft scent of lavender clung to the air as she approached him, concern etching her delicate features. She reached out to steady him, her touch gentle, the warmth of her hand bringing him back to reality.

“Ethan, you’re drunk. Let me help you,” she said, her voice tender.

But something in Ethan snapped. The alcohol, the frustration—he pushed her away.
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