"They are right," Rea whispered to her empty reflection, her voice trembling as the absolute horror of her reality completely broke through her defenses. "I am nothing without him. My entire existence in this city depends completely on the mercy of a monster who does not know how to feel love."
The heavy silence of the private washroom offered no comfort, only the steady, rhythmic hum of the ventilation system filtering out the toxic impurities of Neo Soma. Rea stared at the tiny drop of moisture pooling on the white marble vanity counter, watching it vanish into a microscopic drainage seam. She raised her trembling hands to wipe her damp cheeks, careful not to smudge the pristine cosmetics that Zeldin had personally selected for her appearance. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven
