Mandy’s POV
As the apartment became silent, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. I sat on the couch, knees drawn to my chest, staring blankly at the coffee table.
The events of the evening played on a loop in my head, each moment sharpening the guilt that had settled like a stone in my stomach.
Why did I lash out at Lucas?
I knew he didn’t deserve it. He hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, he’d done everything right—giving me space, letting me lead the conversation, even making me laugh. For a brief moment, it felt... easy. Normal.
And then the memory hit.
The smell of his cologne, or maybe the way the light caught on the edge of his watch—it didn’t matter.
Something had yanked me back to a place I never wanted to revisit, a place where fear ruled and my voice was silenced. I could still feel the weight of it pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memory to fade, but it clung to me like a shadow.
