All Her Doubts Faded Away

Alexander and Rain sat quietly in the back of his car, with Rico at the wheel. Tyron had taken Aunt Melanie in another vehicle, giving them some space. The air inside the car was thick with silence, only broken by the soft sound of their breathing. Alexander held Rain's hand tightly, their fingers intertwined, as if letting go would sever something deeper between them.

After a long, tense moment, Rain finally spoke. "Hmm, I think you can let go of my hand now."

"I don't want to," Alexander replied, his grip tightening. His hold felt protective, almost possessive, as though he was afraid to release her.

Rain raised an eyebrow, ready to tease him, but Alexander beat her to it. "About those news articles… they're fake. I didn't hug Carla. I was caught off guard. One second I was standing there, and the next thing I knew, she was hugging me," he explained, his voice firm, yet almost pleading.