Ava didn't know how long she stood there, staring at Noah as the silence stretched between them.
She had always trusted him. Even when the world told her not to. Even when there were whispers in the shadows, warning her that love alone wasn't enough.
But now, she could feel it—the shift. The moment where love and doubt intertwined, creating something far more dangerous than fear.
Noah ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "Ava, I just—" He exhaled sharply. "I just need you to trust me."
Ava almost laughed. Almost. "Trust?" she repeated, shaking her head. "Noah, I have trusted you. Over and over again. But tonight—" She swallowed hard. "Tonight, I need answers."
Noah clenched his jaw. "It's not that simple."
"Then make it simple," she shot back. "Because Liam said—"
The moment the name left her lips, Noah's entire body went rigid.
Ava froze.
She had expected anger. A sharp remark. Anything.
But the silence that followed was worse.
"You talked to him." Noah's voice was quiet. Too quiet.
Ava hesitated. "He—he was at the library. He—"
"No." Noah's gaze locked onto hers, dark and unreadable. "You talked to him."
Ava didn't understand why it felt like she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.
Noah took a step closer. "What did he tell you?"
Ava swallowed, suddenly unsure of everything.
"He said you were hiding something from me." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "And now, I think he was right."