Alpha Ryder appeared at the door, looking solemn. His eyes met hers, and there was a flicker of vulnerability in his gaze. Angelica averted her eyes, unable to bear the intensity of the moment. She wanted to say something, to address what had happened, but words failed her.
Ryder spoke first, his voice filled with remorse. "Angelica, I'm sorry. I never meant for things to go this way. I know you hate me, and I understand why. What happened last night was a mistake, and I regret it."
His words caught her off guard. She had expected him to be callous, to dismiss their encounter as insignificant. But his apology pierced through the walls she had built around herself. Angelica looked at him, her eyes searching for sincerity.
"I...I don't know what to say," she stammered, her voice barely au
