Chapter 24. Small Talk with the Fiancée
"Did you really forget our engagement?"
Her voice came soft, barely above a whisper, like it was afraid of disturbing the stillness between us.
I let the silence stretch for a few more seconds, the kind of pause that felt heavier with every breath. Then I spoke. "Yeah... I did."
A dry chuckle slipped from her lips—bitter, tired. She kept her eyes on the distant stars, as if the night sky could give her the answer I couldn't.
"I don't blame you," she said at last. "Over the years, I've come to hate it too."
'So the signs were always there, huh?'
Cassius—the original one, the moron—probably never noticed. Or maybe he did... and just chose to ignore them. Classic.
I shifted slightly, leaning on the railing beside her, letting the cool stone bite into my palms.
"Oh, but I'm not surprised," I said. "Neither of us had a say in it."
She offered a subtle smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "That's the reason why I hate it," she murmured. "We didn't get to choose... I didn't get to choose."
I smiled too, just a little. "So, what changed then? Or maybe... what do you want to change?"