Chapter 222. Confrontation: pt. 1

Aurora’s POV

I took a deep breath, watching Mia’s fingers trace the rim of her coffee cup, her gaze fixed on the swirling liquid inside. She was trying to act unaffected, but I knew her too well. The tension in her shoulders, the way she tapped her nails against the ceramic in a barely contained rhythm—it all told me she was on edge. I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just enough to pull her attention back to me.

“Mia,” I said gently, “I know you’re scared of what he might say. But avoiding the conversation won’t make it disappear. You should at least give it a try. You owe yourself that much.”

Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, to tell me all the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea, why she couldn’t handle it—but before she could get a word out, a familiar voice cut through the air from behind us.

“Can I talk to you alone, Mia?”

I knew that voice anywhere—steady, calm, but holding an undercurrent of something unresolved. Shane.