Cadence stopped pacing only long enough to glare at him, the words coming fast, his voice low but edged with fury.
"Elias, listen to me for once. This-this thing with Max- it's not love. It's not even close. You've barely met the man, and already you're letting him take you out, letting him hang around you like he owns the place. Can't you see what he wants? He doesn't care about you. He just wants the thrill, the chase. And you! You've been holding yourself back for so long that now, the first guy who flashes you a smile and a bit of charm, you're ready to hand yourself over to him."
Elias froze, the words hitting one by one.
Cadence wasn't done.
"You've been alone for ages, I get that. Maybe that's why this feels exciting. But it's not real, Elias. It's just a man looking for one thing, and you-you're acting like someone who can't tell the difference anymore."
That last line cut deep.
