A silence fell between us, thick with shared understanding. Michael's anger was raw, still close to the surface, but i sensed the hurt beneath it. I reached out, resting my hand on his, my touch gentle but grounding.
"We'll get through this," i promised, my voice carrying a quiet strength. "We'll deal with Vanessa and everyone who's sided with her. But you can't let the anger consume you. I know what that's like, how it corrodes from the inside. And we're stronger than she is, Michael. We have something she'll never understand—trust."
He looked at me, his expression softening, the harsh lines easing as he took in the determination in my gaze. "You always manage to pull me back," he murmured, his voice thick with gratitude. "Even when I feel like everything's slipping out of control."
