As she considered her options, a knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.
Armando entered, his expression guarded. He seemed calmer than the night before, but there was a tension in his movements, a subtle hesitation as he approached her. Jessica braced herself, expecting another round of arguments, but instead, he sat down beside her, his gaze softening.
“Are you feeling any better?” he asked quietly, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.
Jessica nodded, though she avoided his eyes. “I’ll be fine,” she replied, her tone cool, detached.
An uncomfortable silence settled between them before Armando finally spoke again. “I’ve been thinking about what you said last night. About… wanting a different life.” His voice was laced with something unsteady, as if the words were foreign to
