The mechanical ring of the notification left Suzy momentarily paralyzed.
Success.
Against all odds, she had finally succeeded in completely breaking Derek's defenses. For a long, quiet moment, her mind struggled to fully process the weight of it. The sensation settling in her chest was entirely different from the hollow victory of completing Thomas's route.
With Thomas, she had relied on a shortcut—a little outside help in the form of an affection card.
But Derek was different. Every single percentage point of his loyalty and love had been clawed out little by little through her own genuine efforts.
Both routes had concluded with a maximum score, yet the raw sense of accomplishment couldn't have been more polarized.
Suzy had always known Derek's affection was dangerously high, hovering just a breath away from completion for what felt like an eternity.
