The soft click of the door opening broke the silence, and Kaden stepped inside, his brow furrowed with concern. "Elena? What's wrong?"

She didn't turn to face him, her grip tightening around the delicate stem of her glass. "I've been thinking."

Kaden approached cautiously, as if sensing the weight of her words. "About?"

Elena took a sip of her wine, savoring the rich flavors as they coated her tongue. "About us. About what we're doing here."

Kaden's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "What are you saying?"

Finally, Elena turned to meet his gaze, her expression unreadable. "I'm saying that I'm not sure I can trust myself around you anymore."

Kaden...