Ariella's POV
The silence between us was unbearable, thick with tension and unspoken words. Despite the pleading sincerity in Francis's eyes, doubt clung to me like a shadow, the whispers of betrayal too fresh, too vivid to ignore. My heart, tangled in a web of past pains and present fears, refused to trust the scene before me.
Francis reached out, his voice soft yet urgent. "Ariella, please, just listen to me."
I shook my head, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "I can't, Francis. I can't trust you—not after everything I've heard." My voice trembled, caught between fear and lingering affection. "How do I know this isn't a trap?"
He took a step closer, his hands raised as if to calm me. "Ariella, please—" he started, but the panic surged within me, overpowering his plea.
