Celina’s tears slid down softly, but her gaze had changed. Something new was being born there. A spark. A glimmer of strength.

Gabriel stood, grabbed a glass of water, and returned to sit beside her.

“And you know what else? You’re an oyster too. Do you know why?”

Even through her emotion, Celina managed a faint smile at the odd comparison. Gabriel returned it with a conspiratorial grin.

“Because an oyster is fragile. It lives deep in the sea, protected by a shell. But sometimes, a tiny grain o