Chapter 115

• We had been driving in Kenzo’s car for over an hour, the hum of the engine the only sound breaking the silence. I didn’t say a word, too consumed by the memory of my last glimpse of the Palace and the faces I’d left behind. I kept hoping they would understand why I couldn’t say goodbye, that they might someday forgive me for walking away without explanation—and for choosing this path.
• Kenzo’s glances toward me were frequent, his concern evident, but he didn’t push for conversation. I appreciated his quiet patience. Once or twice, I managed to offer him a faint smile—a silent thank-you for helping me escape—but even I knew those smiles were hollow, little more than feeble attempts at gratitude.
• Doubt clung to me, gnawing at the edges of my resolve. Was I making the right decision? My love for Hadrian hadn’t vanished, but it had become tangled in questions and pain. I wanted to believe he had a reason for what he’d done, some calculated plan that demanded his indifference toward me. But then I’d seen him with Selene, looking at her with the same tenderness he once reserved for me. That moment had shattered my trust, leaving me to wonder if everything between us had been a lie.