Olivia's Pov Xander finally lets me go, but only enough so he can look at me. His thumb brushes a tear from my cheek, slow and gentle, like he’s afraid I’ll break if he presses too hard. “You ready to face outside?” he asks quietly. “No,” I answer honestly. “But I have to.” “We’ll go together,” he says. “All of us.” Maya comes back to my side like she was waiting for the hug to finish. “Well,” she says, lifting her bag over her shoulder, “if we walk fast enough, maybe the reporters won’t swallow us alive.” Ethan snorts. “They definitely will.” “Positive thinking, Ethan,” Maya counters. “I’m positive they will swallow us alive,” he replies. I laugh softly. It feels strange to laugh today, but a good strange. We walk toward the courthouse doors. The hallway is still busy—lawyers rushing past, officers talking into radios, people whispering about Cassandra. Once we reach the doors, I stop. I can hear the noise outside before they’re even opened—the shouts, the cameras, the
Last Updated : 2025-11-15
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