517: COLLIDING THOUGHTS

ARIEL'S POV "Scared of what?" Tessa asked, raising her brows. Like she didn't know what I was talking about. I let out a sigh, trying to put my fears into words. "I'm scared that he'll lie to me again," I admitted, tears stinging my eyes. "That he'll do something else that he shouldn't. I mean, if he lied about this, what else could he be lying about?" Tessa nodded, her expression sympathetic. "That's a valid concern. Trust is like a fragile vase. Once it's broken, it can be hard to put the pieces back together. But it's not impossible. It just takes time and a lot of hard work from both people." "No doubt about that," I uttered, shaking my head. Tessa reached over and squeezed my hand. "Look, I know this is a tough spot. But I also know you're a strong, resilient person. You've been through so much already. You're not going to make any decisions lightly. In the meantime, maybe you should just focus on yourself. Take some time to heal, both physically and emoti