Chapter 31

Vera stopped me as I was walking out of the coffee shop. "Viv, wait," she said, her voice urgent. "Please, just hear me out."

I turned to face her, my arms crossed over my chest. "What is it, Vera?" I asked, my voice firm.

Vera took a deep breath. "I know I can't undo what's been done," she said. "But I want you to know that I'm ending things with Alex. For good, this time."

I raised an eyebrow. "And why should I care about that?" I asked.

Vera's eyes filled with tears. "Because I know how much he hurt you," she said. "And I'm sorry that I was a part of that. I'm sorry that I betrayed your trust."

I looked at her, searching for any sign of insincerity. But all I saw was genuine regret and a deep sadness.

"Okay," I said finally. "I hear you. But it's going to take a lot more than words to make things right between us, Vera."

Vera nodded, a small smile on her face. "I know," she said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to regain your trust. Can we start with a fresh start? A clean sla