The next morning, after a sleepless night of tossing and turning, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Nicolas’s words from the previous day echoed in my mind, louder than I wanted them to. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was going to regret this once Stella finds out.
But regret wasn’t what I wanted to feel. What I wanted—needed—was something more definitive. Something that would either break this toxic cycle between us or give me the closure I so desperately craved.
With shaky hands, I dialed his number. It rang twice before he picked up, his voice clipped and guarded.
“Melissa.”
“Nicolas,” I said, trying to keep my tone even. “We need to talk.”
His hesitation was palpable, the silence stretching on for a moment before he replied. “I thought we said everything we needed to yeste
