Author’s POV
Ivy studied Lila across the café table, her expression guarded but no longer icy. Though she hadn’t said nice words, the hardness in her features was softening. Lila bit her lip, letting a trembling sigh escape as she looked down, feigning a mix of guilt and longing.
“I just… I tried to find you all those years ago when you suddenly disappeared, Aria,” Lila said softly, twisting her hands together on the table so that her drama could seem more real. “Against Mom, Dad’s and Connor’s wishes, I searched everywhere. When you went missing, it was like a piece of me disappeared too, because whether I admit it or not, you’ve always been a part of me. My twin sister. I couldn’t let it go.”
Ivy shifted uneasily in her seat, her fingers toying with the edge of her coffee cup. Her silence was heavy, but Lila knew better than to rush her.