(RAFFAELE'S POV)
She's completely frozen.
That's the first thing I notice right after the words leave my mouth.
She isn't crying anymore. She doesn't even blink.
She's just sitting there in the chair beside my bed with her hand still in mine. Her eyes are wide, searching mine like she's trying to find something there that makes sense of what I just said.
I can't tell if it's the look of shock or disbelief on her face.
Maybe it's both.
Her lips part slightly, but nothing comes out at first. But after a long moment, she finally finds her voice.
"Why… why would you say that now?"
My voice comes out perfectly calm despite how hard my heart is beating inside my chest.
"Because it's true."
Her face crumples and she starts to cry again. But this time, the tears don't come with sobs.
They just fall.
"Raffaele… please, don't do this to me," she whispers, barely holding herself together now. "Don't make this harder than it already is."
My heart aches after those words.
