“A! Ri! A!”
The next instant—
Smack—
Another slap.
This one was even harder than the last.
His head snapped to the side, his cheek quickly flushing red.
After three slaps, the once refined, gentle face now bore clear finger marks, all traces of dignity and composure utterly gone.
I looked straight at him—no retreat, no hesitation.
The deeper the trust once was, the deeper the disgust now ran.
Those so-called beautiful memories had long since been burned to ashes through repeated bias, indulgence, and betrayal.
What remained was only cold, lucid hatred.
“I already said it just now.”
My voice was steady.
“What do you think you are?”
“You’re an outsider—by what right do you meddle in matters between us?”
My gaze swept over him coldly, then fell back on Evangeline.
“No matter w
