The question sliced through the air like lightning, sharp and merciless. Arsene’s chest tightened as if invisible fingers had clenched around his ribs. His grip on the steering wheel faltered, and for a fleeting second, the rhythm of the world outside the car seemed to blur. He couldn’t answer. Not immediately. His mind went blank, his throat dry. A thousand excuses and explanations scattered like leaves in a storm, none strong enough to shield him from the raw truth embedded in her words.
Instinct took over. Without a word, he guided the car to the shoulder of the road, the tires crunching against gravel. He killed the engine, leaving only the soft ticking of cooling metal and the faint hum of night outside. He knew he couldn’t keep driving, not with this weight pressing down on his ches
