Stella's response was immediate, her tone sharp. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice betraying her irritation.

"I just wanted to visit you," Brandon replied, his voice soft, his words failing to mask the underlying desperation.

Stella, her resolve hardening, slammed the car door shut, the sound echoing the finality of her decision. "Can't you just stop, Brandon? I'm done," she said, her voice firm, her words leaving no room for misinterpretation. She turned away, her back to ...