As Allen Morgan maintained his steady, sincere gaze, the icy fortress around Christian Hobbs’s heart finally began to hairline fracture. The white-hot anger that had consumed her only moments ago gradually ebbed away, leaving behind nothing but a profound, lingering bitterness that tasted like copper in her mouth.
"So, you actually know the meaning of the word 'shame'?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of exhaustion and suppressed hurt.
Without waiting for his response, she turned and forced her leaden feet forward. She knew she had no choice. In the ruthless social hierarchy of Novus City, retreat was often seen as an admission of guilt or inferiority. What was coming had to be faced, regardless of how much it tore at her soul. Allen watched her slender, lonely silhouette r
