“I don’t want us to stay in the same room.”

Liora’s voice was firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation. She sat across from Ashvin in the bakery, her posture straight, her expression guarded. The late afternoon light filtered softly through the windows, casting a warm glow over the table between them—yet the tension in the air remained unmistakable.

Ashvin let out a quiet chuckle.

The sound was low, controlled, but it stirred something deep inside Liora—something she immediately suppressed.