As he awaited her response, the silence in Marlowe’s was palpable. The clinking of silverware on plates ceased, and whispered conversations hushed as every patron in the upscale restaurant became an unwitting witness to this unexpected intersection of lives.
Emily’s eyes, wide with disbelief, searched his for any hint of insincerity. She was cautious; life on the streets had taught her to be. Yet there was something in Richard’s gaze—an honesty, a shared pain—that made her believe he was genuine. The prospect of leaving behind the unpredictable struggle for survival was tempting, but the fear of the unknown held her back.
