Ethan didn't plan it.
At least, that's what he told himself.
But somehow—
He still ended up standing in front of Nora.
Again.
"You're avoiding me," he said.
Nora didn't even look up from the file in her hands.
"I'm busy."
"That's not an answer."
"That's because it wasn't a question," she replied calmly.
Ethan's jaw tightened.
God, this version of her was frustrating.
The old Nora would have looked at him by now.
Spoken softly.
Tried to explain herself.
This one?
Acted like he was… irrelevant.
"I saw the news," he said.
"Congratulations," she replied. "You can read."
That caught him off guard.
"…You always this sarcastic now?"
Nora finally looked up.
"Yes," she said. "It helps me deal with unnecessary conversations."
Ethan exhaled sharply.
"You think this is funny?"
"No," she said. "I think it's ironic."
"How?"
She closed the file slowly, placing it on the table.
"Because the man who once said I wasn't good enough… is now standing here, bothered by my life."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Ethan took a step closer.
"You're doing all this to prove a point."
Nora tilted her head slightly.
"And if I am?"
"That's childish."
She smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
Just enough to sting.
"So was rejecting someone at the altar."
That hit.
Hard.
Ethan's expression shifted.
But before he could respond—
A voice interrupted.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Alexander.
Of course.
He walked in like he always did—calm, controlled, and completely unbothered.
Nora stepped back slightly.
Not away from him—
But toward Alexander.
Subtle.
But Ethan noticed.
"I was just leaving," Nora said.
"Good," Alexander replied, his gaze briefly flicking to Ethan. "Some conversations aren't worth continuing."
Ethan's fists clenched.
"Is that what you think?" he asked.
Alexander met his gaze.
"I don't think," he said calmly. "I observe."
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It wasn't just tense.
It was personal.
Nora glanced between them, then shook her head lightly.
"…You two are exhausting."
And just like that—
She walked out.
Leaving both men standing there.
One frustrated.
The other… strangely amused.