Lily took a deep, shaky breath, wiping away the last traces of her tears as Alex’s concerned gaze remained on her.
He was patient, not pressing her, just waiting for her to speak when she was ready.
His gentle presence was grounding, allowing her to ease into the silence between them before she finally found the words.
"Whenever you feel like it, just feel free to tell me what's wrong and I won't hesitate to listen to you" Alex said as he held Lily tighter.
“It’s my mom,” she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “She… she has a way of making me feel like everything I have, I owe to her. Like I don’t deserve anything on my own.”
Alex’s expression softened, a sympathetic understanding flickering in his eyes.
“I get it,” he said, his tone gentle. “My mom’s… similar in
