Chapter 40

Summer’s POV

I remained silent, not wanting to elicit more pity from others. However, instead of backing down, he persisted even further.

“You don’t have to carry everything alone anymore, Summer." His gaze spoke volumes. “I’m back now, and I won’t leave you again. Can you tell me what Steven and you discussed?”

I was torn between whether or not to tell him. On the other hand, I didn’t want to break his trust and give him the impression that I couldn’t rely on him after all the help he had given me.

I absentmindedly played with the book resting on my lap, biting the bottom of my lip in thought. Despite not meeting his eyes, I could sense his stare fixed upon me.

Experiencing the familiarity of people who know you so well is an unparalleled feeling. You cannot escape their sympathy when you try to endure the brunt of life’s bullets alone. However, they stand by you, catching the shots, and sharing your grief.

During the short time that