Aria's questions were answered almost immediately when Eric pulled away from her grasp. His sharp movement caught her off guard, and her arms dropped to her sides as she watched him stride forward, his attention now fixed on Helena.
"Helena, wait," Eric called out, his tone urgent yet steady. He moved quickly to stop her, gently catching her by the arm. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions about what you saw," he began, his voice softening as though trying to calm her. "Whatever it seemed like—it isn't t what you're thinking. It was a mistake, nothing more. She was the one clinging unto me desperately, and I was about to push her off before you arrived."
Aria felt her heart sink at his words. Her hands trembled slightly, and the hope she had clung to so desperately began to crumble.
