She was good at lying.
Not to others.
To herself.
“I thought I could fix it.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Most people who are hurt spend too much time trying to repair the person hurting them.”
Her eyes filled.
“Why did you help me?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
That surprised her.
She expected a simple explanation.
A business reason.
A favor.
A debt.
Instead, Vincent looked out the window.
“Because years ago, someone helped me when they had no reason to.”
Lena waited.
But he didn’t continue.
She noticed the sadness in his expression.
There was a story there.
A large one.
A hidden one.
“Who was that person?”
Vincent smiled faintly.
“Someone I failed to thank before it was too late.”
The answer stayed with her.
Later that night, after doctors confirmed her injury would heal, Lena was taken to a private room.
She expected to feel afraid.
