we’ll make sure he never gets the chance

Aria turned her gaze back to the moon, her mind a swirling mix of gratitude and fear. Every word Dante said carried weight, breaking through the walls she had painstakingly built around her heart.

"I want to believe you," she murmured. Her voice was soft, almost lost in the cool night air, but Dante's sharp ears caught every word.

"You can," he said firmly. "But it's not about what I say. It's about what I do. Actions speak louder than promises, Aria."

She glanced at him, her eyes searching his face for the sincerity she wasn't sure she'd find. Yet there it was, plain as day. Dante wasn't just saying what she wanted to hear—he meant every word.

For a moment, the air between them grew heavier, charged with something neither of them could fully explain. Aria's breath quickened, her lips parting slightly as she fought to steady herself under Dante's piercing gaze.

"Why do you care so much?" she whispered, breaking the silence.