Estelle shook her head immediately. "Of course not!" she said, steady but firm. "Look, Roman, if we're going to do this, if we're going to win, you need to start trusting me." She paused, her shoulders easing just a fraction. "Roman, I need to understand everything," she continued. "And we don't have the luxury of time. Every second matters now."
"I know, but—" He cut himself off, dragging a hand through his hair before letting it fall back to his side. "I don't want you judging me without knowing the full story."
For a moment, something in his voice shifted to a more guarded tone. Estelle's expression softened, and she slowly placed her hand over his. The contact froze him in place.
Roman felt it immediately, the warmth, the steadiness. He should have pulled away, should have said something sharp to break the moment, but he didn't, he couldn't.
