Meaning of 迷いを断ち切るかのように


> 「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.




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").




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").

