Elian let out a bitter laugh, wiping at his eyes, though no tears had fallen. "Love me, no matter what?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. "How can you love me when you don't even know me?"
"I do know you," Izan argued, stepping closer, his gaze unwavering. "I know you better than anyone else."
Elian shook his head, taking a step back, maintaining the distance between them. "No, Izan. You don't. You don't know me because I've been hiding too."
Izan froze, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Elian lifted his gaze to meet Izan's eyes, his expression heavy with sadness, the kind that twisted Izan's heart.
"There's something I haven't told you," he said quietly, his voice trembling with the weight of his secret. "Things I've kept hidden. And if you want this, if you want us to work, you need to know about it."
