"Theo…" she began, her voice soft, tentative. "Last night… you mentioned someone. Aanya-"
The name hung in the air between us, heavy and raw. My heart lurched, and I looked away, ashamed, feeling the weight of my past pressing down on me. I hadn't meant to say her name, hadn't meant to dredge up memories that belonged to a different life.
"I… I was… confused," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to—"
Irene's hand tightened on mine, grounding me. "It's okay," she said softly. "You don't have to explain. Just… know that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone."
Her words were a balm, soothing the ache that had settled deep within me. I hadn't realized how much I needed to hear that, how much I craved the reassurance that, despite everything, I was still worth caring for.
