"It's not a big deal," Anna blurted out, the first thought that came to her mind. But the deepening frown on William's face only made her feel more uneasy.
"If it's not a big deal, then why did you feel the need to wash it down with an entire bottle of wine?"
His question was perfectly valid, and Anna found herself at a loss for words. No quick, white lies came to mind to brush it off. But what worried her most wasn't the fact that she couldn't come up with an excuse—it was the unsettling thought that William might now see her as someone with a drinking problem.
Just like the rumors painted me...
"Anna," William began again, his voice softening as he noticed the shift in her expression, the sadness creeping in. "It's not the alcohol I'm concerned about. It's the fact that you still turn to it instead of reaching out to someone. You're not alone anymore."
