It had been a week since Emma's conversation with Alexander, and though the air between them had softened, there was an undeniable distance. A part of her wanted to believe him, to let her guard down and allow things to return to the way they were before. But another part of her, the part that had been hurt, the part that had been so easily manipulated, was still hesitant. Trust was not something she could rebuild overnight.
She had given him a chance, yes—but that didn’t mean she was ready to fully let him back into her life. Not yet. Her heart still carried the weight of all the lies, the manipulation, the moments when Alexander had been too silent, too distant, when Chloe’s game had hurt her more than she cared to admit. It wasn’t just about him anymore; it was about the cracks in her
