I rubbed my gabella. The skin between my brows ached from the pressure.
“She’s not wrong,” I muttered. “I did find someone. Five years ago… I was injured badly. My core was almost destroyed.”
Arin didn’t interrupt.
“I met a woman… her body held the Yin constitution. She saved my life. I marked her. I was supposed to return to her after the dust settled, but…” I trailed off, the familiar weight of guilt pressing down.
“The pressure, the rules, the damn restrictions,” I continued. “They’ve tightened the net around us. If I move carelessly now, they’ll know. I’ll expose her… and the child, if they exist. So I’ve been waiting.”
Arin’s face remained calm, but I could see the flicker of emotion behind his eyes.
“Then… the one in the East Hill mansion?” he asked.
“A fake,” I answered coldl
