428: HEALING KISSES

ARIEL'S POV Janice left the room, and I felt a pang of guilt washing over me. My daughter deserved better than to witness the tension between her parents, but there was nothing I could do about it now. I had to face Luke, no matter how difficult it might be. As soon as Janice closed the door behind her, Luke moved swiftly to lock it, his movements sharp and decisive. I watched him warily, unsure of what was about to unfold. I stood up from the bed, my heart pounding in my chest as I prepared myself for the conversation that was about to take place. But before I could even open my mouth to speak, Luke held up a hand, his expression unreadable. "Don't speak," he said, his voice cold and commanding. "I need to talk first." I swallowed hard, nodding silently as I waited for him to continue. The tension in the room was clear, thick, and suffocating as we stood there, facing each other in silence. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Luke spoke again, his voice low and filled w