Ava stood frozen, her heart pounding as Nick's sudden change in tone shook her. His pale face and anxious demeanour only added to the weight pressing down on her. She had relied on him, counted on him to play the part of her supportive partner, but now it seemed like he was ready to walk away, leaving her stranded.
"I... I don't understand," she managed to stammer, her voice barely concealing the confusion and hurt that swirled inside her. "You agreed to help me. What's changed?"
Nick exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair, clearly overwhelmed. His eyes darted away from hers, avoiding her gaze like he couldn't bear to face the reality of the situation. "It's your friend, Daisy," he said bluntly. "She's already suspicious of us, Ava. And to be honest, you're the reason for it. I had no idea you were in the hospital, no clue what was going on. When Daisy started questioning me earlier, I nearly blew our whole cover."
