When Lina’s breathing finally steadied, she lifted her gaze to meet his. “I should have told you,” she began. “But I didn’t know how.” The words carried years of weight, years she had kept locked away. Ethan stayed silent, giving her the space to unravel the knot.
“My mom died when I was a baby,” Lina said. “Dad raised me until…until he was arrested. I was eight.” Her face tightened. “I would rather not name the crime. I ended up in foster care. When I turned eighteen, I changed my name. I didn’t want his shadow continuously dogging me.”