Chapter 47

• The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows, casting long shadows across the cozy kitchen where Maya sat, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of tea. Her best friend, Jane, sat across from her, a quiet but steady presence as Maya worked up the courage to speak.
• “I don’t know, Jane,” Maya began, her voice barely above a whisper. “I love him. I do. But sometimes I wonder if love is enough. After everything we’ve been through, everything he’s done... I don’t know if I can ever really trust that he’s changed.”
• Jane leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed with concern. “It’s not easy to move past something like that. Rafael’s been a part of that world for so long—it’s bound to leave scars, on him and on you. But you’re still here, Maya. That says something.”