Aria
“I did not hurt her.”
The words left my mouth calmly, even though my chest felt tight with anger and disbelief.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The living room seemed smaller than before, the air heavy with tension. Outside, the last streaks of sunset had faded into deep blue, and the soft lights of the island flickered along the cliffs.
Ethan ran a hand slowly through his hair.
“I hear you,” he said finally.
But the way he said it made my stomach twist.
Because it sounded like someone trying to calm an argument, not someone who actually believed me.
Tamara shifted slightly on the couch. Her bandaged wrist rested carefully on a pillow Ethan had placed under it earlier.
“I really don’t want to cause problems between you two,” she said softly.
Her voice was almost apologetic.
Al
