Lucian
When I got home, the first thing I noticed was Mara’s eyes—red and puffy. She’d been crying.
My heart dropped.
Had Tina already told her?
“Mara,” I said carefully, stepping toward her. “Are you okay?”
I reached for her shoulder, but she pulled away and held out her phone instead. My stomach twisted as I took it from her, unlocked the screen, and saw exactly what I feared.
A video.
Tina at James’ Cafeteria. Her standing, stepping into me. The hug. The kiss. It happened so fast, and now I understood why. It wasn’t a moment—it was a setup.
Someone had been filming. Someone had sent it to Mara.
Tina had planned the whole thing.
“Mara, please… let me explain.”
She wiped at her face, angry and hurt all at once.
“You promised me, Lucian,” she said, voice cracking. “That morning
