ARIA’s POV

As I strolled into the dining room, I noticed Carter sitting in one of the chairs. He seemed shocked, and his smile appeared forced, lacking authenticity. 

As I took my seat, which he kindly pulled out for me, I couldn't help but sense that something was wrong. Suddenly, I remembered that Carter had mentioned he wanted to share something with me. So, turning to him, I inquired.

 "What's on your mind, Carter?"

 “It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t want to ruin anything”. He said, and now I was even more curious as to why he’d say that.

  “What’s that exactly?”

 “You’re a friend to me and as your...