I stood frozen while I watched him walk in with confidence, his hands in his pockets. He gazed at me like I had committed a crime.
Actually, I did.
Ute sherpishly chuckled to lighten the mood. "I’ll join the others. I'll leave you two to talk, okay?" She excused herself and patted Valerian’s chest twice, silently telling him to be careful before blending into the crowd.
A lump formed in my throat. Is he mad at me for not telling him sooner?
"Val..." I called, my voice fragile and guilty.
He shuffled the sole of his shoe as he slid closer to me, searching for my eyes.
Lifting his hand, he tucked my hair behind my ear and guided my head to meet the calmness of his gaze.
Instead of showing betrayal, he looked at me with even more intense love.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I—I should've
