Thirteen

The weight of his words hung heavily between us, a reassuring balm to the sting of Trudie’s outburst. I let out a shaky breath, trying to process both the chaos of the moment and Gino’s presence as my anchor.

“Thank you for handling that,” I said, my voice steadier now. “I didn’t expect someone from your past to show up like that, let alone to accuse me of… replacing her.” I stepped back, creating a little distance; I still wasn’t sure how to navigate this new territory.

Gino moved as if to close the gap again, but something in my demeanour made him pause. “You didn’t replace anyone, Harriet” His sincerity shone through his bright, unyielding eyes.

“I just… I never thought I’d be stepping into someone else’s shoes, even if it’s unintentional,” I confessed, feeling a warmth creeping into my cheeks. “It’s hard not to feel like you’re just going to slip back into that old life with her.”

“There’s no going back for me, not now. You make me want to be better. You’ve alr