Clara
That “You have the necklace” isn’t a question, it’s a statement. I lower my gaze again, almost instinctively. The diamond sparkles in the room’s light, subtle. Elegant.
Exactly as Ethan described it, I let it fall back onto my chest.
But I don't say anything, not yet.
Vanessa takes a small step closer, she does not invade. But she comes close enough.
Her hand rises slowly, for a second... I think she won't.
That she won’t cross that line, but she does. Her fingers barely touch the pendant, hold it.
As if she knows it. As if it weren’t the first time she’s seen it.
“The diamond…” she says, almost in a whisper, “represents what endures.”
My heart… beats faster.
“What doesn’t break,” she continues. “Even after the pressure… of time… of everything.”
My throat dries up. Becau
