At that moment, as Cora still held Oliver from behind, her voice softened with a mix of guilt and emotion that trembled through each word she spoke.
"I don't know how you're going to take this," she began, her arms tightening gently around his waist, "and honestly, I don't even know if saying all of this will change anything. But I need to say it."
Oliver didn't move. He stood still, silent, listening.
Cora took a deep breath and continued, her voice filled with regret. "Everything I did from the beginning… it wasn't to push you away. I was just trying to protect myself. Trying to wear this mask of a strong, independent woman who didn't need anyone, not even you. I thought if I stayed distant, if I handled things on my own, then I wouldn't get hurt."
A brief silence followed. Then she whispered, "But I was wrong."
