Chapter 14: Shattered Glass

After cycling through girlfriends for a while,

Ethan was alone again.

That night at a drinking party, a buddy teased, "What, heard Savannah is coming back, so you cleaned up your act?"

Ethan drank half a glass, grinned recklessly. "When have I ever cleaned up for a woman?"

"Others I don’t know, but Savannah probably could."

Ethan didn’t answer, just leaned back lazily.

His long legs stretched out, his eyes always affectionate yet indifferent, looking at the group.

"I don’t know she could do that."

The friends were stunned. "So it’s not for Savannah?"

"Boring. Tired. Like this now, it’s peaceful."

"True, watching them compete is exhausting."

"Don’t you think Mariah was better?"

"After all, you never got tired of her for two years."

"Speaking of Mariah—"

"She got engaged yesterday. I even went. You two are close, she didn’t invite you?"

The friend spoke, showing some photos to the group.

"Hey, you should’ve seen—Mariah was really beautiful yesterday."

"And my cousin was handsome too. They looked great together..."

Ethan abruptly stood up.

Then came the sound of a wine glass shattering.

The room suddenly went silent.

A few seconds later, someone exclaimed, "Ethan, your hand..."

Blood poured from his mangled palm.

Drop by drop, thick and warm, falling to the floor.

"Ethan!"

"Hurry, go to the hospital, don’t just stand there!"

Someone rushed forward to check his wound.

But Ethan shoved him away.

His eyes were tinged with red.

He stared straight at his friend. "What did you just say? Say it again."

The air in the room was tense, thick with confusion and shock. For the first time, Ethan looked vulnerable, stripped of his usual bravado.