Chapter 97: What could have been

(Lina)

I sat on the chair, staring at my phone, replaying the video on my phone. Nicholas's voice sounded different—tired and broken. It wasn't the man I remembered. Kieran told me to watch it, and now that I had, I didn't know what to do with the emotions inside me.

"He finally said it," I whispered, setting the phone down.

Kieran stood nearby, his arms crossed. He didn't say anything right away, but I could feel his eyes on me. He was waiting for me to speak, giving me the space I needed.

I stared at the blank screen of my phone, unsure of what to think. The words Nicholas had said were still on my mind. His apology, his regret—it was all too much to process at once. My hands trembled as I tried to sort through the mess in my head.

"I don't know what to feel," I said after a long silence.