Eyes That Cannot Lie | Winrina

Guilty Of Sin , Please Forgive Me Father

Later that evening, Karina sat in her small, dimly lit apartment, her phone buzzing next to her on the couch. She glanced at it, expecting another group message she had been part of before everything fell apart. But of course, it wasn't. Those messages stopped weeks ago when the last of her friends abandoned her.

Only Giselle had stuck by her side.

With a sigh, Karina picked up the phone, seeing a message from Giselle pop up.

Giselle: How did it go with Winter today?

Karina stared at the screen for a moment, her fingers hovering over the keyboard before typing back.

Karina: Better than expected, I guess. We talked about the project, but... I told her something personal.

Giselle's reply was almost instant.

Giselle: Uh oh, how personal?

Karina: I told her I fell for her because of her eyes. That they're still what I can't stop thinking about.

Karina set her phone down, rubbing her temples. She could still see Winter's face in her mind—the way her expression had shifted when Karina admitted that. She didn't regret telling Winter, but it brought all of her old feelings flooding back, reminding her of how much she had messed up and how distant Winter felt now, despite the moments of vulnerability they shared.

Her phone buzzed again, and she picked it up to see Giselle's reply.

Giselle: Wow, I didn't think you'd go there already. How did she react?

Karina hesitated, her fingers moving slowly as she typed.

Karina: She didn't say much. I think it surprised her. I don't blame her though, after everything I did, I can't expect her to forgive me easily.

Giselle: True, but you're trying. That counts for something. You love her, right?

Karina leaned back against the couch cushions, staring up at the ceiling. That question was always easy to answer, no matter how complicated everything else was.

Karina: Yeah. I do. I never stopped.

Giselle: Then don't give up. Winter's angry, and she has every right to be. But if anyone can get through to her, it's you.

Karina let out a soft sigh. Giselle's unwavering belief in her was both comforting and heavy. She appreciated having someone on her side, especially after losing everyone else. But Giselle's support also reminded her of the weight she carried—the guilt, the shame, and the responsibility of fixing what she had broken.

As Karina thought about the past, her heart tightened. It wasn't just that she had hurt Winter—it was how. She had betrayed Winter's trust in the worst way, crossing a line she never should have when Winter had been vulnerable. The fact that she had been drunk wasn't an excuse, and Karina knew that. It was something she had to live with, something that had shattered everything between them.

The incident haunted her, like a shadow following her every step, and it was why Winter's walls were so high. She had destroyed something precious, and rebuilding trust wasn't something that could happen overnight—if it could happen at all.

Karina picked up her phone again, her fingers typing more slowly this time.

Karina: I just don't know if I can fix it. She doesn't trust me, and I can't blame her.

There was a longer pause before Giselle replied this time.

Giselle: I get it. But you can't undo what happened, and neither can she. All you can do is keep showing her that you're different now. That you understand what you did was wrong and that you're willing to wait as long as it takes for her to believe you.

Karina sighed again, her heart heavy with the truth in Giselle's words.

Giselle: You promised you wouldn't give up on her, right?

Karina: I did. And I won't.

Giselle: Then that's all you need to remember. The rest will come in time.

Karina nodded to herself, though she knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy. Winter's pain was real, and so was her anger. Karina didn't expect forgiveness, but she held onto the hope that, maybe, one day, Winter could at least see her efforts for what they were—genuine attempts to make things right.

The memory of Winter's eyes looking at her, both full of fury and sadness, replayed in her mind. That was what Karina had fallen in love with—the depth, the complexity, the way Winter's eyes held so many emotions at once. But it was also a reminder of how far she still had to go.

Karina: Thanks, Giselle. I'm meeting her again tomorrow. I'll try to focus on the project, but... I don't know. It's hard being around her and not feeling everything all over again.

Giselle: I know. But you're doing the right thing, even if it's hard. Just take it one day at a time.

Karina put her phone down, feeling a mixture of determination and anxiety swirl inside her. Giselle's faith in her was a lifeline, but it didn't change the fact that every step she took with Winter was like walking on fragile ice. One wrong move, and everything could shatter again.

Still, Karina had made her choice long ago. She wasn't going to give up on Winter, no matter how painful the process might be. She had to believe that, eventually, her love would be enough to bridge the gap between them.

And so, she would keep going, one day at a time, hoping that Winter would let her in again—if not as a lover, then at least as someone she could trust.

For now, though, she'd take things slow, starting with their next meeting. The project was an excuse to be around Winter, but deep down, Karina knew it was more than that. It was a chance to rebuild, to heal, and maybe.. just maybe, to see those eyes look at her with something other than pain.

And that was a chance she wasn't going to let slip away.