Darius' POV
Her hand rested gently on mine, her touch warm yet firm, as if she was holding onto something she feared losing. Her eyes—so deep, so full of unspoken emotions—were locked onto me, searching, demanding answers. A wave of shock and regret crashed over me, tightening my chest, making it hard to breathe.
How could I tell her this was for the best? That leaving for the farewell gathering was the right decision? No matter how carefully I tried to explain, I knew she wouldn’t understand. She would see it as a betrayal, and maybe… maybe it was.
"I'm not…" My voice wavered, and I forced myself to steady it. "I have things to do, Sara. I just can't ignore them." I tore my gaze away from her, unable to face the hurt I knew was coming.
I expected her to pull her hand back, to let me g
