Artemis’ POV
“I don't understand how you haven't told me any of this until now,” I say to Beck with my eyes fixed on his and my fingers buried in my hair, trying in vain to keep calm.
“You didn't trust me,” he reminds me. “All this time you believed that I was the murderer of your parents.”
“You could have denied it!” I claim.
“I did. Countless times,” he reminds me calmly and then sighs. “Artemis, listen. I would love to have revealed all this to you in advance, but be honest with yourself: Would you have believed me if I had told you this before?”
No, I probably wouldn't have believed him.
“You could have tried...” I murmur in desperation.
“I had to earn your trust first, and that's what I did. I didn't want you to dismiss our testimony because you thought I was trying to cover up my own guilt,” he says.
