Vera stopped me as I was walking out of the coffee shop. "Viv, wait," she said, her voice urgent. "Please, just hear me out."
I turned to face her, my arms crossed over my chest. "What is it, Vera?" I asked, my voice firm.
Vera took a deep breath. "I know I can't undo what's been done," she said. "But I want you to know that I'm ending things with Alex. For good, this time."
I raised an eyebrow. "And why should I care about that?" I asked.
Vera's eyes filled with tears. "Because I know how much he hurt you," she said. "And I'm sorry that I was a part of that. I'm sorry that I betrayed your trust."
I looked at her, searching for any sign of insincerity. But all I saw was genuine regret and a deep sadness.
"Okay," I said finally. "I hear you. But it's going to take a lot more than word
