Liam’s eyes locked onto mine like a target. The tension in the room thickened, heavy enough to touch.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice clipped.

“I’m here to see you,” I replied calmly, clutching the black box a little tighter. “I came to return this.”

I extended it toward him. “I can’t keep it. It’s too much.”

He didn’t move.

“You don't have to really,” I added, more gently this time. “And I don’t feel right accepting something so… ...