Valerie was torn, her mind spinning over whether she should spill the truth to Arthur or just keep her mouth shut like she always did. Arthur, of course, wasn’t budging—he just sat there, waiting her out, his patience like a wall she couldn’t climb. Finally, she blurted, “I can’t tell you. I just… can’t.”

Talking about it felt impossible, even with Arthur—the guy who always seemed so detached, so cold. Falling back into silence was familiar, almost comforting. Easier to say ...