Meeting the In-laws?! 1

The car ride to Mia's house was steeped in tension, but it wasn't the kind that suffocated—it simmered, charged with anticipation. Jason gripped the wheel, his knuckles brushing against the smooth leather as his thoughts churned. Mia sat beside him, adjusting her lipstick in the rearview mirror. Her voice was soft but steady when she finally broke the silence.

"Jason," she said, glancing sideways at him as she fixed her makeup. She was lucky she didn't wear too much of it, and she always carried a kit with her. The things she had done had left her with something intense. But she was happy. "Please forgive me. I didn't want things to spiral like this."

Jason didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and deliberate, every word measured to cut through her apprehension.

"Mia," he said, glancing at her for just a moment before turning back to the road. "We're past apologies. I'm going to handle this."