The quiet of the house was a luxury we hadn't afforded ourselves in days. After the sterile, electric hum of the TV studio, the soft clink of silverware against ceramic felt like a sanctuary. We had kept dinner simple—something hearty that didn't require much thought—and for the first twenty minutes, we just ate in a comfortable, exhausted silence.
Liam sat across from me, the candlelight catching the sharp angles of his face. He’d barely taken his eyes off me since we left the studio.
"I mean it, Sarah," he said, setting his fork down and leaning forward. "I’m so damn proud of you. I’ve seen you find your strength in private, but watching you stand your ground in front of the whole world... that was something else entirely."
I offered him a tired but genuine smile, reaching across the
