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> 「いや、そこまでは大丈夫」迷いを断ち切るかのように。可愛くも小憎たらしい優の顔から視線を外して断る。

I know that

  * the definition of 迷いを断ち切る is

> 心を悩ませることについて考えるのをやめること

  * and that かのように is

> 動作や状況を他の何事かに喩える表現

(i.e likening something to something else).

However, still don't quite get how 迷いを断ち切るかのように modifies the next sentence.
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2016-07-21T06:23:14.237
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2022-04-03T19:26:23.567
2022-04-03T19:26:23.567
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question
meaning
Meaning of 迷いを断ち切るかのように
Seems like it's modifying the sentence _before_ not after.

> 「いや、そこまでは大丈夫」迷いを断ち切るかのように。

"No, that is enough", as if to remove any doubt.
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2016-07-21T06:51:03.207
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2016-07-21T06:51:03.207
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answer
迷いを断ち切るかのように as a whole roughly means _determinedly_ or _decidedly_ , and it
naturally modifies 断る in the next sentence.

迷いを断ち切る (lit. "to cut off one's doubt/hesitation") is a common metaphoric
phrase which can be used without explicit ように. But we also often see it used
with ように to explicitly indicate it's a metaphor. Maybe you can interpret this
part _literally_ to feel its meaning (i.e., something like "as if I(?) were
cutting off my doubt").
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2016-07-21T15:55:37.493
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2016-07-21T15:55:37.493
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answer