The hallway felt longer than usual or maybe it was just her.
Aria's steps were slow at first… then faster. Each heartbeat louder than the last, echoing in her ears as she made her way toward his study.
She didn't knock. She couldn't. The door pushed open with a quiet force. Rafael looked up instantly.
For a second, just a second something shifted in his eyes.
Relief but it vanished just as quickly.
"Aria—"
"Don't."
Her voice cut through the room, sharper than she intended. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, as if sealing them both in with everything unsaid.
"You don't get to say my name like nothing happened," she continued, her chest rising and falling unevenly. "Not after that."
Rafael set the glass aside slowly, his gaze never leaving her.
"Then tell me how I'm supposed to say it."
"Start with the truth," Aria snapped. "Who is she, really?"
"You already know."
"No," she shook her head immediately. "I know what she said. I want to hear it from you."
