CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR – A WET BLANKET

"Understand?" Leon scoffed. "How am I supposed to understand when you ran away like a coward? When you didn't have the decency to face the consequences of your actions?" Nia flinched as if she'd been slapped. "I never meant to hurt you, Leon. I just... I couldn't face you after everything came out." "A lie of omission is still a lie!" Leon's voice echoed across the deck, drawing curious glances from nearby passengers. "You let me fall in love with you, all while knowing who you really were!" "What was I supposed to do?" Nia shot back, her composure crumbling. "I knew how you'd react once you found out the truth. I couldn't bear to see the disgust in your eyes." Leon's face contorted with a mix of anger and pain. "So instead, you ran away. You didn't even give me the chance to process the information. You just disappeared!" Nia felt tears pricking at her eyes. "I was scared, Leon. I was terrified of losing everything I'd worked so hard to build." "And what about me?" Leon demanded