Upon hearing what Cora just said, William's heart tightened in his chest, and his face twitched ever so slightly—but he caught himself quickly.
He could feel the wave of anger rising, threatening to cloud his thoughts, but years of dealing with rejection, of being misunderstood and judged before explaining himself, had taught him how to bury his emotions deep down and wear a mask like a second skin.
He stood there, surrounded by the soft scent of crushed rose petals, with staff watching and recording the moment like some rom-com gone horribly wrong. The bouquet still lay awkwardly at his feet, petals scattered around his shoes like fallen pride. And yet, Cora stood in front of him, unmoved, unaffected.
Her words echoed louder than the silent stares around them.
"Before I open my eyes, I don't want to see you here."
