Vanessa released her right hand from Darryl's grip as she used it to wipe her teary eyes. Before, she felt like she was being suffocated but as she listened to Darryl's apologies, she pressed her hand on her chest, trying to calm her panic breaths. It was astonishing that Darryl had thought he was the cause of her tears and seeing this fueled her emotions.
She mustered courage to stare into Darryl's eyes, to see if it was a facade or not. But as her eyes met his, tears flowed down her cheeks. Before she could say a word, Darryl pulled her into a hug. She could feel his heart hammering against his chest as she placed her head on it. And his familiar scent engulfed her as she sobbed softly.
Darryl dropped his head to look down at her, but he couldn't keep eye contact for long. “I can't be
