Samantha

Cassandra's expression suddenly changed. She became softer, and sadder. "He did. And it nearly destroyed him. It actually took him years to even begin healing from that loss." She paused. "The fact that he's letting himself feel anything for you...that he's opening himself up to that kind of vulnerability again, it means something, Samantha. I'll confidently say it's something significant."

"Or it means I'm a convenient replacement," I said, voicing the internal fear I had been ...