He faltered, holding me for a second longer before releasing me.
Hannah rushed to my side, wrapping her arms tightly around me as I collapsed into her.
“Leave,” she told him. “Come back when she asks for you. Not before.”
His jaw tensed. He said nothing as he turned away and stormed out.
The moment the door slammed shut, Hannah whispered, “He’s gone, Selene. It’s okay. I’m right here.”
But her voice was distant.
My mind was somewhere else.
Back in that cave.
Back to that night.
Elior’s soft, trembling voice haunted me again.
“Daddy… I want to see Daddy…”
My vision blurred again with fresh tears.
I had called Ronan. Again and again.
He never answered.
He left one message.
“Stop calling. I don’t care.”
And that—
That was the moment I knew:
I would never, ever forgive him. Never.
Selene’s POV
It had been ninety days since Elior was taken from me—since my world lost all color, all meaning.