"Can I ask you something, bro?" Jay's voice was hesitant, almost fragile in its uncertainty.
Ray, caught off guard, looked up. "Yeah, sure."
Jay hesitated for a beat, then finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him for a while. "Do you love her?"
Ray froze for a second, the question catching him off guard. He blinked, and for a moment, his face was unreadable. Then, with a calm tone, he replied, "Love? Don't be a jerk, Jay."
Ray exhaled slowly, letting the air settle between them. His gaze shifted to the window, as if grounding himself before speaking again. His voice was calm, almost detached, as though reminding himself as much as Jay.
"Don't forget our plan, Jay," he said, the tone measured. "For us, there's no place for love or anything like that."
Jay's brow furrowed, but he stayed silent, listening.
