Chapter 48

• Ariel.
• Three hours earlier, I stormed out of the office, my heart pounding with anger and hurt. How could he do this to me? Alan’s actions had cut deep, betraying my trust in ways I never imagined. I found myself sitting on the cold stairs, trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me.
• “He hurt me so much,” I muttered to myself, tears threatening to spill over. The weight of disappointment pressed down on my shoulders, making it hard to breathe.