"Run, do you understand? If you're about to be cornered and can't fight back, just run."
His words, though harsh, were protective. He escorted me back to the conference, and from that day on, we started encountering each other more often at parties and gatherings for young entrepreneurs.
People began to notice his attentiveness towards me, even teasing him as my shadow. He didn't mind; he openly admitted his attendance was solely because of me. He seemed unaware of who I was or our families' strained connection, remaining the same disinterested person in business matters.
Gradually, Ethan began to change. He stopped frequenting clubs and started involving himself in his family's business. His transformation was sudden and noticeable.
Whenever we were at the same conference, I’d catch him stealing glances at me, his focus shifting from the speakers to where I stood. Our eyes would meet, and I’d quickly look away, feeling my cheeks flush. A strange, warm feeling began to grow in my heart.
"So, what do your parents do? Are they hoteliers?" He asked me one evening.
Trying to avoid revealing my true identity, I replied, "Something like that."