As the words left Liam's mouth, Mabel couldn't stop the faint skepticism that crept into her expression. Her eyes lingered on him a moment longer than necessary, searching for something unsaid, some hidden intent tucked behind that calm exterior. A quiet part of her wondered if the apology had been nothing more than a setup after all.
'And here I was thinking he was genuinely apologetic,' she thought inwardly, her gaze steady but her mind anything but. 'Still… I shouldn't jump to conclusions.' The memory of his earlier words resurfaced, measured and unforced, lacking the sharp edge she had grown accustomed to hearing from him. 'That apology sounded far more sincere than most things I've ever heard come out of his mouth.'
She exhaled silently. 'Yeah. I'll hear him out.'
"Yes," Mabel said at last, her voice calm and even. "What favor do you need from me?"
