The soft hum of the café filled the air, accompanied by the low chatter of patrons and the occasional clink of cups. Serena, who sat at a small table near the window, staring blankly at the untouched latte in front of her. She could feel the weight of her own thoughts pressing down on her chest. Her heart pounded in her ears, a mixture of anxiety and determination swirling within her.
Today, she was going to tell Eli the truth.
She had thought about this moment countless times since she left him. The scene had played out in her mind over and over, each version different, but the outcome always the same: she needed to be honest with him about why she left, about what had caused her to pull away. She had to tell him about that night—about the moment she had heard him mutter Arietta’s name
