Stella smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes, and squeezed Theo's hand tightly. "Yeah, I'm fine now," she replied, her voice firm and confident, her words a testament to her resilience and the unwavering support of her friends.

"I'm sorry!" Brandon said, his voice thick with regret.

Stella simply nodded, her gaze fixed on the ground, her expression betraying none of the turmoil within. "It's fine," she replied, her voice barely a whisper, the words clipped and final. "We shouldn't ...