441: A DISTANCE ECHO

ARIEL'S POV I reached for my phone, and the screen lit up with Andre's name displayed boldly across it. A sense of apprehension washed over me as I debated whether or not to answer the call. Part of me wanted to ignore it to avoid the inevitable confrontation that would follow. But another part of me couldn't help but feel a glimmer of curiosity, a small spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, André had something important to say. Taking a deep breath, I answered the call, pressing the phone to my ear as I prepared myself for whatever was to come. "Andre," I said coldly, my voice devoid of emotion. "What do you want?" There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Andre spoke, his voice filled with a strange mixture of longing and defiance. "Ariel, I need to see you," he said, his words rushed and urgent. I couldn't help but scoff at his request, my patience wearing thin. "That's not going to happen, Andre," I replied firmly. "After everything that's happened between us