overwhelmed

TRISTIN'S POV

"Overwhelmed?" I repeated, my tone cold. "You weren’t the one behind bars, accused of murder."

Her face fell slightly, but she quickly recovered, stepping closer. "Tristin, you have to understand. I was trying to navigate everything on my own. I didn’t know how to help you."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "Not even a phone call, Livia. Not a single visit. I was left wondering where you were, what you were doing. But you were nowhere to be found."

"I’m sorry," she said softly, reaching out to touch my hand. "I was scared. I didn’t know what to do."

I pulled my hand away, the gesture as cold as my tone. "Scared? You’re supposed to be my partner, Livia. We’re engaged. When things got tough, you vanished."

Her eyes flashed with a mix of hurt and frustration. "I didn’t vanish! I was dealing with my own issues, trying to keep everything from falling apart."

"But you didn’t help me," I replied bluntly. "My family and friends fought for me, believed in me. Where we