Chapter 420

Maddy’s POV

She pulls her hand back, clearly still unsure. “But what if I mess everything up? What if I’m not what he needs?”

I shake my head, frustration creeping into my voice. 

“You’re exactly what he needs, Layla. Don’t you see it? He’s not just being nice. He’s not just taking care of you because he feels responsible. He’s doing it because he cares about you. And he’s not going to stop just because you’re afraid.”

I watch as she bites her lip, clearly struggling with her emotions. She wants to believe me. I can see it in the way she looks at me, but she’s still scared. And I understand that. But I can’t just sit here and let her keep pretending that nothing’s going on.

“Layla,” I say softly, “you have to stop running from this. Jason’s feelings are real. And if you don’t start acknowledging that, you might lose the chance to see where this could go.”

She looks at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “I