Page 65 of Enzo

“You did send it to the wrong person.”

My body starts to relax. He realizes. “Yes.”

He hands me my phone back.

I can't read his expression. I can't tell if he's still angry with me, if he still blames me, if he still hates me and never wants to see me again.

“Some friend,” he mutters. And then, “Even if she did take it down, it wouldn’t matter. People have shared and reposted so many times.” His eyes turn soft and hold my gaze. “I believe you. You didn't put those videos online. Your friend did.”

I forget to breathe. He believes me. The relief is instant, slamming into me so hard my knees feel weak.

Of all the people I needed to believe in me, it was him.

“I hate that it affected your life, and your mom’s.”

He doesn’t say a word.

“I wish I could go back in time and fix everything.”

“Time travel isn’t real, Molly.”

His shoulders relax a little, but I can’t work out whether he’s forgiven me a teeny-weeny bit, or a lot.

“You don't have to blame yourself so much.” His voice is gentler now, which makes me feel a little better.

“I've ruined your life.”

He frowns. “Are you always so dramatic?”

I blink. “Do you still hate me?”

“Hate is too strong a word.”

He doesn’t hate me.

It’s ridiculous that I feel so happy. That this is such great news. My standards have fallen so low that Enzo Knight not hating me now qualifies as the best thing that’s happened to me all week.

But although he’s softer, he’s still not the man I met that night. I remind myself that he’s here on business, and that this unwanted media attention—especially now that it’s affecting his mother—can’t be easy to deal with.

“It’s a silly video,” I say to him. “It will die down. Things like this always do.”

“They will, and in the meantime, my family and I must weather the storm.”

“If there’s anything I can do—” I start to say.

“You’ve done enough.”

His words sting and my body crumples into itself.

“Molly …”

But he looks away, his hands still shoved into his pockets, his body rigid and closed off.

“I wanted to show you, that’s all.”

I move away. Just because we walked here together doesn’t mean we have to walk back together.

“Goodbye, Enzo. I hope you get your peaceful life back.”