Chapter 107 Unveiling the Heart

The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Maya and I sat in our usual spot by the river, the sound of the water rushing over the rocks a soothing backdrop to our conversation. We had been spending more time together since the war ended, trying to find some semblance of normalcy in the aftermath of everything we had been through. Today, we had decided to play a game—something light-hearted to distract us from the lingering tension that seemed to hang over Ashwood like a dark cloud. "Okay, Jessica," Maya said with a grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Truth or dare?" I rolled my eyes playfully. "You know I always pick truth. I’m not getting roped into one of your crazy dares again." She laughed, the sound bright and infectious. "Fair enough. Truth it is, So… what’s something you’ve been hiding from me?" The question was innocent enough, but it hit me like a punch to the gut. There were so many things I had kept from Maya over the past few months—things about my life a