Esme couldn't believe her ears. What had happened to make him change so abruptly? His mask was gone and she could see his actual face. 
"But you said," she started and her voice cracked a little, so she cleared her throat to try again. "You said that you didn't care about anyone but you. You killed me. Crushed my heart without a second thought. How am I supposed to believe you now?"
She looked away, wishing desperately that he wasn't lying. If she let him in and he broke her heart again, she might not survive it.
He asked her name. She supposed he needed to know that much.
"Esmeralda," she answered in a low voice. "It means Emerald. Some have called me Esme for short. What is your name... brother?" she ventured tentatively, like an animal that had been hit and was afraid of being hit again. If he suddenly had a mood swing and reverted back to his bastard self she didn't want to be within striking range.
"Did you know about me at all?" she asked minutes later. "I only learned of you five months ago. I have been trying to find you ever since."