Lilith slowly rubbed her cheek against his chest, saying nothing, just listening. And that made him continue.
"So most of the time... it was just me and her. That old woman."
His voice dropped lower.
"Bria."
She could feel his body tense, just slightly.
"She didn't raise me. She… broke me. Tried to shape me into this cold, perfect heir. Locked me in dark rooms for hours when I made a mistake. Once, I got a 98 instead of 100... she didn't let me out for a whole night."
Lilith's fingers curled softly over his shirt.
His voice was steady, but his eyes… weren't.
"She made me believe love was a weakness. That emotions were noise. That if I cried, I'd be worthless. So I stopped crying. I stopped smiling."
A pause.
"...Until you came."
Lilith's breath hitched. Her lips parted, but nothing came out.
She didn't have to reply.
Because instead, she reached up, cupped the side of his face gently, and pressed her lips to the corner of his eye—
Right where the pain had once lived.
