The relief that settled in the Sterling mansion felt real, like something you could touch. The awful silence was gone, replaced by normal sounds again. Alexander made calm phone calls. My dad ordered way too much food. Life slowly came back.
But somehow, Aaron and I were in our own little world.
We ended up in the sunroom without really planning to. He still hadn't let go of my hand since. His grip was steady, grounding. I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It felt unreal in the best way.
"I really meant it," I said quietly. "The apology. I wasn't just panicking. Ignoring you was childish. And mean."
He took a slow breath. "Cameron," he said gently. "Your anger mattered. I just handled it wrong. What I said before is true, you saved me. If I hadn't been so focused on us, I would've gotten on that plane. Your distance made me stop. It hurt, but it worked."
