“I don’t understand… why are you being so nice to me?”

Vania looked at the man in front of her, her voice soft but laced with suspicion. Her hands still gripped the cup of hot coffee she’d bought from a small café near the park.

The man—someone she had only met a few days ago in front of her family’s house—gave a faint smile.

“Because you look like someone who could use a friend. Besides, not everyone has bad intentions, Vania.”

Vania fell silent. Those words struck her deep. She had been betrayed far too many times to believe them easily—especially after what happened with Devandra and Karen… not to...