373 I will

Zeke paused briefly before continuing. "I kept a watchful eye on him, but I eventually stopped prying too much into his affairs, hoping that if I act like I started to fully trust him, he would eventually drop his guard down and get closer instead of distancing himself. Also, despite everything, I couldn't shake the feeling that Elijah was silently pleading with me to leave him be. In the end, I chose to put some trust on him because I know that there was always a reason for someone's behavior. I also held onto the hope that, with time, the truth would surface—perhaps when Elijah was ready, or when he'd finally come to me and open up or seek help. But that moment never arrived, at least not until I left."

Silence reigned for several moments.