Maya's POV

As I finished speaking, I watched him exhale, the breath he had not even realized he was holding. The relief on his face said more than words ever could. He had truly been afraid I would turn him away. That alone told me how deeply he already felt for me.

He reached out and gently squeezed my hand, and my heart skipped a beat. In that moment, I felt it, his promise. Silent but strong.

No matter what came next, he would be by my side. Even if it meant standing against his own ...