Chapter 47: ENTER MY WORLD

"Do you want to be my family, instead?" Gary’s voice was soft yet filled with an intensity that made Xina pause. She had been struggling with the pain of being disowned by her family, and no matter how much she tried to suppress it, the hurt still lingered in her eyes. For as long as she could remember, her family had treated her poorly. They had never supported her or shown her any genuine love. Despite that, she had clung to the hope that one day things might change—that they might come to see her as someone worthy of their love and respect. But now, as reality settled in, Xina realized how destructive hope could be. It had kept her tethered to a toxic situation far longer than she should have allowed. Her family had hurt her time and again, not just out of cruelty, but because they had grown accustomed to it. It had become second nature to them, and there was no coming back from that. "What does that mean?" Xina asked, her voice quivering slightly as she wiped away the tears that