Kirsten's words struck Marion like a sudden frost, chilling him to the core.
His hand tightened around her wrist, a desperate attempt to anchor her to him, to keep her from slipping away.
But Kirsten slipped free with a gentle twist.
Her strength was not in her muscles but in the quiet, unyielding distance in her eyes. It was enough to make him hesitate, enough to keep him from stepping forward again.
He stood frozen, watching her stride out of the office without a glance back. Her silhouette, poised and resolute, felt like a silent, final farewell to him and everything this place stood for.
"Marion..."
Verena glided closer, her fingers brushing his arm, her voice laced with unease. "Is Kirsten... getting the wrong idea about all this?"
Marion kept his lips sealed and continued to f
