Sofia stared down at her hands for what felt like an eternity, fingers twisting together in her lap like writhing serpents. The silence stretched between us, heavy enough to drown in, pregnant with whatever burden she'd been carrying alone. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper—frayed at the edges.
"Peter... I don't know how to say this."
"Just start somewhere," I said gently. My voice a low anchor in the storm. "We've got all night."
She nodded, taking a shaky breath that shuddered through her frame. "When I first started dating Jack... I thought..." Her throat worked. "I thought my parents were just happy I was dating someone nice. Someone from a good family." A bitter laugh escaped her—sharp, broken glass. "I was so naive."
Madison reached across the table, placing her hand over Sofia's trembling ones. A lifeline thrown into dark water. "Take your time, sweetheart."
