Chapter 157

Sarah's POV The silence in the car was deafening as we drove away from the boutique. Elena kept glancing at me with questions burning in her eyes, while Aria had fallen unusually quiet in the backseat, her small fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "Elena," I finally broke the silence, my voice barely above a whisper. "Would you mind if we stopped somewhere private to talk? I owe you an explanation." Elena nodded, her expression a mixture of concern and curiosity. "My apartment isn't far from here," she offered. "We can have some privacy there." Twenty minutes later, Aria was contentedly watching cartoons in Elena's living room while Elena and I sat at her kitchen table, steaming mugs of tea between us. I wrapped my fingers around the warm ceramic, drawing comfort from its heat as I gathered my thoughts. "I haven't been entirely honest with you," I began, meeting her gaze directly. "About who I am... and about Aria's father." Elena's expression remained open, non-judgmental. It