~Alistair's POV~
The past few days of silence had worn him down, leaving dark shadows beneath his eyes and sharp lines of exhaustion across his face. It was obvious he hadn't been sleeping.
"Sit down," I commanded, gesturing to the chair across from me.
He sat immediately, his eyes searching mine for any hint of warmth. He found none.
"I don't pity you, Alex," I said, my voice steady and cold. "So don't look at me like that. This is the consequence of your choices. You decided to lie. You decided to let your mother's poison seep back into our lives. In seven years, we have never gone this long without speaking, and that distance is on you."
Alex lowered his head, his words barely more than a shattered whisper. "I know. I deserve this, Alis. I'm so sorry. If I could undo it all, I would."
"Your apologies mean nothing to me right now," I said sharply, cutting him off. "They don't change the fact that every time I look at you, I see her. So stop. And listen to what I have to say."
