After a long while, Atlas stopped kissing me and whispered, “Don’t I want to hear your bullshit excuses again, got it?”

I looked at him in a daze as he wiped my tears. Then he wrapped his fingers around mine and led me deeper into the courtyard.

We arrived at an elevator, and he pulled me inside. As we reached the top, I realized it was an observation deck with a magnificent view. A bottle of red wine was already there for us. He poured me a glass and said, “Drink it. It’s good for you.”

Still in a daze, I looked at him and downed the wine. I felt much calmer after taking a deep breath. He pulled me to the railing, and we looked at the bright moon. Then, he embraced me from behind, saying, “Get rid of all your negative thoughts.”

After a pause, he continued, “When I saved you at the riverside, I told myself I’d look after you forever. I don’t care about the past, only the future. I mean it.”

I leaned into him and stared at the moon that seemed so close I could touch it. I stayed a