His laptop sat on the table in the other room, still holding the secret that had brought them to this precarious moment. As they stood amidst the joyous celebration, each was acutely aware that their next encounter would be a tipping point, for better or worse. And so, with champagne glasses in hand, they mingled with their guests, all while the weight of the unspoken words loomed large, waiting for the right moment to be revealed.
As the crowd continued to revel in the festivities, Oliver knew he couldn’t let this go on any longer. He took a deep breath and gently touched Anna’s arm, pulling her away from the celebrations to a quiet corner. “Anna, we really need to talk,” he said, his voice carrying an urgency that was impossible to ignore.