'She was about to frame me...!'
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
This was a classic trap.
A sudden public display — an embrace, a stumble, a cry for help — and the man would be painted as the aggressor.
Cold shiver ran down Ethan's spine.
'Just how desperate is she...?!'
To go this far... how heavy was the pressure weighing on her from the Evernight Family?
Still moving, still creating distance, Ethan's mind raced.
'But still, what did she hope to achieve in this crowded environment...? Some people's eyes might be on us, so lies won't work. Maybe she has a method.'
The thought made him even more cautious.
As his mind thought rapidly, a slender arm suddenly wrapped around Ethan's shoulder smoothly, pulling him sideways.
A familiar voice, casual and affectionate, sounded by his ear:
"I'm right beside you, little brother. What are you doing walking so fast past me?"
Ethan instantly recognized the voice.
'Mia...!'
Relief washed over him like a tide.
