James
I couldn’t take it any longer. The weight of Susan’s tears and her clinging to me became unbearable, her sobs grating against my nerves. Without a word, I gently pulled myself away from her grasp and turned toward Hilda, who stood nearby, watching the scene unfold with a concerned expression.
I guided Susan into Hilda’s arms, letting her friend take over the role of comforting her. Susan clung to Hilda now, her cries muffled as she buried her face in her friend's shoulder.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you, Susan, but it couldn't be Zelda. She's not responsible for this."
Susan’s eyes widened in disbelief, tears streaming down her face. She stared at me as if she couldn’t process what I had just said. To her, the idea that I would defend Zelda—again—was shocking. He
