I found him in the quiet of the courtyard, leaning against the low wall where the streetlight barely reached him. His eyes caught mine instantly, that same intensity I had tried so hard to forget.
“Aiden…” I said cautiously, my voice firmer than I felt. “We need to talk.”
He pushed off the wall, stepping closer, but I held up a hand. “No. Don’t.”
“I had to see you,” he said, calm but intense. “Elle, I can’t just… let this go.”
My chest tightened, but I squared my shoulders. “You need to stop.”
He froze, confusion flickering across his face. “Stop? Stop what?”
“Stop chasing me, stop trying to… make me feel something I’ve already moved past.” I took a deep breath, forcing every word to be steady. “Aiden… we crossed a line before, yes. But that was a mistake. A moment. Nothing more. And
