Chapter 223. Confrontation: pt. 2

Aurora’s POV

I watched him carefully, studying every little movement, the way his fingers twitched slightly against the fabric of his jeans, the way his shoulders slumped as if carrying a weight that refused to lift. Shane wasn’t opposed to the idea—not at all—but everything was so new to him that he had withdrawn entirely. He had cut off contact with everyone, retreating into himself, pouring every ounce of his energy into therapy, trying to untangle the mess inside his head.

It was as if he believed that isolating himself was the only way to fix what was broken, the only way to make sense of his emotions without the noise of the outside world interfering. And now, as he stood before Mia, his expression open and vulnerable, I could see the rawness in his eyes. The sincerity. The regret.

“I—” Shane exhaled shakily, running a hand through his already disheveled hair before locking eyes with Mia. “I know that I’ve hurt you. More than I can ever put into words.