Meliza's POV
Dinner went well—almost too well.
We laughed, talked, and shared the meal like we always did, as if nothing was wrong and as if the weight of his father's disapproval wasn't hanging over us like a silent storm cloud.
But beneath every smile, bite, and casual glance, I could feel the tension lurking—unspoken but thick in the air between us. We were pretending, both of us, holding onto normalcy like it was the only thread keeping everything from unraveling.
Still, I played along. So did he. Maybe we were both too tired to fight or maybe we just wanted one peaceful night where the world didn't come crashing in.
When it was time for him to leave, a quiet dread settled over me.