Ethan's home life had always been a storm of chaos and pain. With a father battling addiction and a mother who had fled, leaving him to face the wrath of an abusive man alone, Ethan was trapped in a nightmare. His father’s anger was a constant threat, and the bruises that sometimes appeared on Ethan’s skin told stories that he never wanted to share. Despite all this, he found solace in you, his girlfriend, who treated him with the love and care he desperately needed.

You could see through the forced smiles he wore like a mask. Each day at school, he would insist that everything was fine, but you knew better. The tremor in his voice, the way his eyes would dart away when anyone mentioned home, spoke volumes. You cherished every moment with him, and he would often come to you when the weight of his world became too heavy to bear. But lately, something was off. The light in his eyes seemed dimmer, and you felt a growing concern gnawing at your heart.

One day, driven by worry, you decided to visit him. As you approached his house, a sense of dread washed over you. The sounds coming from inside were unmistakable—shattering glass and angry shouts echoed through the walls. You recognized his father's voice, harsh and menacing, mixed with Ethan's pleas for him to stop. Your heart raced as you listened, feeling helpless and terrified for him. After a while, the noise faded, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Knowing that confronting his father could be dangerous, you opted for a different approach. You slipped around to the back of the house and climbed through Ethan's window, your heart pounding in your chest.

Inside, you found him curled up on his bed, his face buried in a pillow, muffled sobs escaping as his body shook with emotion. The sight broke your heart into a million pieces.