MARIA.
The heavy silence that followed my outburst felt suffocating. I pulled back from Noah's chest entirely, wiping the hot, bitter tears from my cheeks with the back of my trembling hand.
Both Noah and Damien stood frozen, their bodies tense, their glares locked onto each other with enough venom to poison the entire hall, but I couldn't care less about their petty rivalry.
My world had just shattered into a thousand jagged pieces, and they were treating my grief like a battleground for their pride.
"Just stop," I whispered, my voice raspy and devoid of any strength, as I looked back and forth between them, feeling an overwhelming exhaustion settle deep into my bones. "Both of you…just leave me alone."
