Chapter 117: Promise Me

Athena Hearing the sound of my voice, he froze in place, his movements suspended in time. Neither he nor I made a single motion, locked in an eerie tableau of vulnerability. The belt remained clutched tightly in his hand, a lingering symbol of his self-inflicted agony. To me, It seemed as if he staggered on the ridge of a decision, torn between turning towards me and stepping aside the instrument of pain, or retreating into the solace of avoidance. I couldn't help but sense a profound vulnerability in him, as if he lacked the strength to confront me directly. If only he knew how much it hurt to see him like this. Knowing that he was a great distance away from mustering the strength to face me, I steeled myself and closed the gap between us. Gathering every ounce of courage I possessed, I positioned myself directly before him, refusing to wait for him to turn back. Yet, his gaze remained averted, his head bowed low, fixated on the shadow cast by my form. A solitary teardrop traced a pa