Relief flooded her expression—cautious, disbelieving, but real. He leaned forward, meeting her eyes. “Elena, you’re free. Truly free.” Something inside her seemed to loosen at the words, as if the invisible weight she’d carried had finally been acknowledged and lifted.
Elena inhaled shakily, brushing tears she didn’t bother to hide. “I didn’t expect anyone to believe me again,” she whispered. Evan shook his head gently. “You never needed them to. You just needed to believe in yourself again after having been so thoroughly broken by the person you trusted.”