Ava stood staring at the mirror, trying to remind herself to breathe. The decision had not come easily, but it was time to confess everything to Erasmi. Her reflection looked back at her, eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. She inhaled sharply, summoning the courage to speak the words aloud. "Erasmi... there is something you need to know..." she began, her voice faltering. But then she paused, the weight of her secrets pressing down on her like a physical burden. She had no idea where to begin.
he buried her face in her hands, subduing the urge to cry. Why? Why couldn't the past just stay where it belonged? If only Hannah had never returned, she would have never needed to reveal anything. She could have forgotten about her own shameful past. She could have moved on, built a life with Erasmi free from the shadows that haunted her.
