His Regret Began When I Said Goodbye

I loved Adrian for seven years, and nearly died in the ICU saving him.

But to him, I was just a tool for gratitude, while his student, Chloe, was the one who made his heart race.

I accidentally overheard him, on our bed, holding Chloe, who was covered in kiss marks: I only feel responsibility towards Elara. You, Chloe, are the love of my life.

My heart turned to ash.

A month before our wedding, I submitted my application for an overseas medical mission.

But he chased me to war-torn Mali, his eyes red, saying, "Elara, I can't live without you."

I ignored him.

Danger struck instantly, and he quickly ducked into a nearby building.

But Liam Stone, the peacekeeping soldier I'd known for less than a month, rushed out without hesitation, shielding me from a stray bullet with his own body.

The bullet grazed his shoulder, splattering blood on my face.

I knelt, trying to staunch the bleeding, my hands shaking so badly I could barely hold the gauze.

Adrian stood in a safe spot, staring blankly at the scene.

Afterward, he found me: "Elara, I finally understand... the love I gave you doesn't even deserve to be called love."

I looked up and smiled at him.

It was the first time I'd smiled at him in days.

Then I said, "It's fine. Because I don't want your love anymore."

Elara POV

I had been in love with Adrian Reed for seven whole years before I finally went from being his assistant to his fiance.

But with only a month left until the wedding, I decided I didn't want him anymore.

"Mr. Thompson, please add me to the overseas medical team list for this mission."

I placed the signed application form on his desk, my voice calm.

Behind the computer, Mr. Thompson looked up, his face full of surprise.

"Dr. Jenkins, I thought you and Adrian were getting married next month. If you go to Africa now, what about your wedding?"

I swallowed the dryness in my throat and forced a small smile. "I'm not marrying him anymore."

"What?" Mr. Thompson was utterly astonished.

But I didn't explain further. "Please add me to the list."

"Years ago, you gave up a chance at a top research lab abroad for Adrian and stayed here. You're about to become his wife." Mr. Thompson's tone was kind. "You should think carefully. It'll be too late to regret it later."

"I won't regret it."

Mr. Thompson sighed. "If that's your decision, I'll submit your name. But you're part of Adrian's team. Remember to inform him before you leave."

I acknowledged him and left the Dean's office. As I walked towards the elevator, I heard a few colleagues excitedly chatting together.

"Look! Professor Reed and Chloe Davis are on an academic journal cover again!"

"They look so good together. I heard Professor Reed personally mentored her on that paper."

"Professor Reed is usually so serious, but he actually guides her hand-in-hand? He's really different with Chloe."

"I think the famous 'Ice King' professor has finally been melted by Chloe, his little ray of sunshine."

The snippets of conversation drifted over. I didn't stop walking, but my fingertips curled into my palms, and I gave a self-mocking smile.

The entire department was buzzing about how well Professor Reed and his student matched.

And I, his fiance, was like a ghost.

Few people knew how much I'd sacrificed for Adrian.

I graduated among the top three students in my program, and a medical paper I wrote caused a stir in the field, earning me an invitation from a prestigious pharmaceutical research lab in Switzerland.

But I turned down that dream opportunity, staying at the medical school to become an obscure assistant in Adrian's team.

Adrian was the youngest professor at the medical school, academically rigorous, and naturally aloof and reserved, often seeming cold because he rarely smiled.

It took me seven years to make him accustomed to my presence.

I organized his documents, reminded him to eat on time, brought him warm oat milk when he had stomach pains, and packed all his travel essentials for him.

I managed his work schedule and daily life with meticulous care.

Initially, I thought an insurmountable chasm separated us, and I would forever be relegated to admiring him as a subordinate, a colleague.

Then the lab accident happened six months ago. A chemical spill occurred.

Only I rushed in to push Adrian out of the way, and I inhaled a large amount of toxic gas trying to save his research findings.

I spent five days in the ICU with severe lung burns, nearly not waking up.

When I finally regained consciousness, Adrian was unusually sitting by my bedside.

His eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, and his voice was low as he asked, "Why did you risk your life to save those research findings?"

Lying in the hospital bed, I gave a half-truthful answer. "I just didn't want your hard work to go to waste."

"Elara, I want the truth."

He gazed at me with deep eyes, and that's when I finally mustered the courage to voice the love buried deep in my heart.

"Those were truths, but more importantly, it's because... I love you, Adrian."

When my words fell, he watched me for a long time, then finally said, "When you're better, I'll take you to meet my parents."

At that moment, I thought he, this towering figure, had finally responded to me. My seven-year-long unrequited love finally had a result, and my heart soared with happiness.

We became official and quickly set a wedding date.

After we got together, Adrian treated me uniquely enough.

He, who never celebrated any holidays, remembered only my birthday; he, who never gave gifts to anyone, would send me flowers; he, who detested dealing with people, would patiently entertain my difficult family.

However, he still wasn't comfortable with people getting too close.

So, between us, even common displays of affection like holding hands or hugging were rare.

I thought it was due to his naturally reserved personality.

If it weren't for Chloe's appearance, I might have continued to believe I truly held a place in his heart.

I returned to the research building and saw the lab lights still on from a distance.

As I reached the lab door, my hand on the doorknob, voices drifted out.

"Adrian, everyone in the department is talking about you and Chloe right now," Dr. Sarah Miller, a colleague from our team, said. "Everyone saw that academic journal cover; they're saying you two look really good together."

I paused outside the door.

"They don't know that you and Elara are engaged. I think you should find a time to explain things to Elara, so she doesn't misunderstand anything."

"No need," Adrian's steady voice replied. "Chloe is my student. It's perfectly normal for me to mentor her on papers and appear on journals together. Elara will understand."

His tone was so matter-of-fact, as if "understanding" was my obligation.

Dr. Miller couldn't help but sound curious. "All these years, countless women have confessed their feelings for you, but no one ever made your heart race. Yet, six months ago, you suddenly got together with Elara. Be honest, is it because you like her, or for some other reason?"

Adrian was silent for a moment, then spoke in a complicated tone, "Six months ago, during that lab accident, she rushed in to save me, and she nearly died trying to salvage my research findings. I didn't know how to repay her."

"So you decided to marry Elara... as a way to repay a debt?"

Elara POV

Their conversation made my heart clench.

Then, I heard Adrian slowly say, "Since she loves me, marrying her is the best way I can repay her."

A dull ache squeezed my chest, as if something was blocking my breath.

Turns out, he, this towering figure, had never truly responded to me.

He was with me only out of obligation.

"What about Chloe?" Dr. Miller's probing voice came again. "You've never taken on students all these years, but you made her your student, showing her the most special attention and care. Do you... do you like her?"

This time, Adrian didn't answer because his phone rang.

"Chloe?" Adrian answered the call. I don't know what Chloe said on the other end, but his tone shifted slightly. "Don't be nervous. Just stay where you are and wait for me. I'll be right there!"

He hurried out of the lab, comforting Chloe on the phone, not even noticing when his shoulder bumped into me by the door.

I stumbled two steps before steadying myself, turning to watch his tall back disappear without a glance.

My chest was filled with an unspeakable mockery and sharp pain.

My fianc was tense and concerned about his student, completely oblivious to my presence.

All of this was simply because he didn't love me.

The one who could make his heart race was Chloe, bright as the midday sun.

Chloe was the daughter of Adrian's former mentor and now his graduate student, having joined his university three months ago.

She was like the wind through the mountains, vibrant, reckless, and uninhibited.

She would directly snatch the pen from Adrian's hand and scribble all over his papers; she'd offer him a bite of her apple, insisting he try it; she'd even creep up and whack him hard on the back when he was deep in thought, then laugh wildly at his startled reaction.

And Adrian, from the initial stiffness at her touch, grew increasingly lenient with her boundary-crossing closeness.

He tolerated her messing up his neat and tidy desk; he'd accept a sip from her coffee; and when she laughed happily, his eyes would show a glint of indulgent affection.

Just last night, I even saw it with my own eyes.

Chloe suddenly stood on her tiptoes in the lab and kissed Adrian's cheek.

Adrian, who would instinctively recoil if I got within three feet of him; Adrian, who, after six months of dating, had only held my hand or hugged me a handful of times, only froze for a moment.

Then, his ears flushed, and he didn't pull away from Chloe.

I used to think his discomfort with closeness was just his naturally aloof and introverted personality.

It was only then that I realized Adrian, when his heart was truly stirred, would also act clumsy like any other man, he'd blush, his heart would race, and all his principles would vanish.

If that's the case, why should I continue to hold the title of his fiance?

I had intended to tell Adrian about my plan to go to Africa, but I waited in the lab all day, and he never returned that evening.

Finally, I couldn't help but call him.

"Elara?"

The phone rang for a long time before he picked up, Adrian's deep voice greeting me.

I held my phone. "When are you coming back to the lab? I have something to tell you."

"If it's not super important, let's talk tomorrow."

I felt what I had to say was important.

After all, I was canceling our wedding and setting him free.

But before I could speak, he continued in a soft, gentle voice, "Chloe had an accident. Her car collided with another, she was shaken up, and the other party wanted to press charges. I'm still talking to the cops with her."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chloe's curious voice came from nearby, "Adrian, who is it?"

Adrian seemed to muffle the receiver, his voice softer.

But I still heard him say, "It's nothing, just a colleague calling about work."

Elara POV

"That's it for now. We can talk tomorrow if anything comes up."

A dial tone sounded, Adrian had already hung up.

I held my phone, listening to the tone, and after a long moment, gave a self-mocking smile.

"Colleague..."

I, his fiance, was merely a "colleague" in his words.

Putting away my phone, I left the lab and took a cab back to the single-family house in West New York.

Adrian had bought this house as our marital home, but I had handled all the renovations and furniture selection by myself.

From the overall style to the tiniest details like a lamp's color temperature or the placement of a houseplant, I had arranged everything, carefully considering his preferences.

But Adrian had never paid attention to any of it.

Even after six months of being together and living under the same roof, we still slept in separate rooms.

He once explained, "I'm a light sleeper and not used to having someone beside me. Besides, we're not married yet, so it wouldn't be appropriate to share a bedroom."

Back then, I thought he was conservative and didn't want to cross any boundaries before marriage.

Now, I realized it was simply because he didn't love me.

I went into the bedroom and pulled out my suitcase, packing all my personal belongings.

I hadn't lived here long, so I had surprisingly few things. A 24-inch suitcase was more than enough.

Then, dragging my suitcase, I returned to my parents' house.

I opened the door with my key. The TV was on in the living room, blaring a noisy reality show.

My father, Robert Jenkins, was sprawled on the couch, watching, while my mother, Carol, was carefully feeding slices of apple to my brother, Kevin.

Hearing the noise, the three of them looked over.

Robert was the first to frown. "Why are you back? And dragging a suitcase?"

I leaned the suitcase against the wall, took off my shoes, my voice devoid of emotion. "This is my home, can't I come back?"

Robert sat up, scrutinizing me. "Did you and Adrian have a fight?"

"No."

"No fight, yet you're dragging a suitcase back home?" Robert's tone sharpened. "Does Adrian know?"

I bent down, took my water bottle from the suitcase's side pocket, and walked towards the kitchen to get water, my back to them. "Whether he knows or not doesn't matter, because I've decided to call off the engagement."

"What?!" Robert shot up from the couch. "Call off the engagement? Did Adrian back out? How dare he! You nearly lost your life for him, and now, after agreeing to marry you just a few days ago, he dares to back out? That ungrateful jerk! I'm going to find him!"

He started to rush out.

"Dad!" I turned and stopped him, hot water splashing onto my hand, a slight sting. "I'm the one calling off the engagement, not him."

"What did you say? Say that again!"

"I said, I'm the one who wants to cancel the engagement. I don't want to marry him anymore."

"Are you out of your mind?" Robert's fury instantly shifted, his finger practically poking my nose.

"Adrian has such great prospects. He's a brilliant young professor from a well-respected family, and so many people want to marry him. You're actually giving him up? Are you crazy?"

Carol also put down the fruit plate and walked over. "Elara, don't be so impulsive and headstrong."

Kevin sneered, "Elara, you're really reckless. A man as handsome, wealthy, and respected as Adrian, do you know how many women are chasing him? You're lucky to marry him. So don't be so willful. Hurry back and apologize to Adrian."

Robert even directly threw my suitcase out and kicked me out of the house.

"I'm telling you, you will marry him! Go back right now, and don't you dare abandon your wedding! Otherwise, you'll never step foot in this house again!"

The door slammed shut in front of me, making my eardrums throb.

No one asked why, no one cared if I was hurting. There was only panic over potentially losing money and accusations that I was "misbehaving."

I stood there, staring at the closed door of my home, closed my eyes, and forcefully suppressed the emotions welling up inside me.

It had always been like this since childhood. My parents didn't like me. Not only did they make me tolerate my brother in everything, but they also gave him all the best things.

If Kevin scraped his knee, they were heartbroken; when I had an appendectomy at twelve, they left me alone in the hospital.

He did poorly in school, always at the bottom of his class, and they gently coaxed him; I graduated among the top three in my program, and they ignored it.

In this family, I was always an expendable character.

If Adrian hadn't said he would marry me, perhaps if I had died in that lab accident, they might not have even looked at me once.

And now that I was canceling the engagement with Adrian, I didn't even have the right to enter this house.

The world was so vast, yet there was no place for me.

Elara POV

Dragging my suitcase, I left the Jenkins' house. With nowhere to go, I took out my phone and booked the cheapest single room at a chain hotel.

Throughout my years of working, my family frequently asked me for money, and furnishing the new house had also cost a lot. My savings were alarmingly low.

Fortunately, the departure date for my overseas mission was soon, so I wouldn't be in this city for many days.

The cheap motel room was small and damp, and the sheets had a faint musty smell.

I lay down without taking off my clothes, staring at a dark water stain on the ceiling, only finding a little sleep past midnight.

The next morning, I was woken by my phone ringing.

"Adrian" flashed on the screen. I stared at it for a few seconds before answering.

"Elara." His voice was a little hoarse. "My stomach's not feeling well. When you come to the lab later, could you bring me some oat milk?"

I was silent.

"Elara?"

I mumbled a reply. I had originally wanted to refuse, but the words caught in my throat.

Some things needed to be said face-to-face.

After hanging up, I got up, washed, put on a simple shirt and trousers, and headed out.

Arriving at the lab building, I pushed open the door. Adrian was sitting at his desk, his fingers pressed against his stomach, eyebrows slightly furrowed, an aura of cold detachment about him.

Hearing the sound, he looked up. "You're here."

I walked over and placed the paper bag containing the milk on his desk. "Here."

Adrian opened it and took a sip, then frowned. "This oat milk... the taste is different from what you used to bring."

I said nothing.

Of course, it was different.

Knowing he was particular, every oat milk I brought him before, I made myself.

This one, however, I'd simply picked up on the way.

Adrian took a few more forced sips, but ultimately had no appetite and pushed the milk aside.

"You called me yesterday, did you need something?" He looked up at me, his tone flat. "At the time, Chloe had an accident, and the other party was very insistent. I couldn't really focus on anything else."

My heart felt a light prick, like a fine needle.

Yes, he couldn't focus on anything else.

Chloe's matters were always paramount, and I, his fiance, was perpetually relegated to the "other" category.

"Nothing special," I said, looking down, my voice flat. "I just wanted to tell you that I've already handed over all my ongoing work to my colleagues yesterday. I won't be coming to the lab anymore."

Adrian looked at my face. "Our wedding is less than a month away. If you're thinking of quitting to be a stay-at-home wife, that's fine. I'll cover all your living expenses."

He paused, then added, "However, I suggest you still have your own career. If you sit around all day doing nothing, it'll cause problems for your health."

Listening to him, that self-mocking chill spread through me, little by little.

He wanted me to have my own career, not because he respected my abilities or admired me, but simply because he thought I'd get unhealthy if I stayed home.

Perhaps it was because he didn't love me.

That's why he hadn't noticed I'd already moved out of our new house.

That's why he couldn't see that I was once a top student, that my thesis had made waves in the academic world, that I could have had a much broader future.

Thinking this, it seemed there wasn't much difference between how he and my parents treated me.

"I'm not quitting to be your wife," I met his gaze, speaking calmly and evenly. "On the contrary, Adrian, I no longer want to marry you. So let's call off the engagement..."

"Adrian!"

The door was suddenly pushed open, and a cheerful figure ran in.

Chloe came to Adrian's side in a few steps, naturally linking her arm through his, her face upturned, a radiant smile on her face.

"Thank you so much for yesterday! If it weren't for you, facing those aggressive people, I would have been scared senseless and wouldn't have known what to do."

She was intimate and warm, practically pressed against him.

Adrian's body stiffened for a moment, and he instinctively looked up at me, meeting my calm, unruffled gaze.

His expression became a little unnatural. He cleared his throat twice, pulling his arm out of Chloe's embrace, his voice holding an almost imperceptible hint of indulgence and affection.

"Chloe, in here, I'm your mentor. You should watch your behavior."

Chloe stuck out her tongue, playfully shaking his sleeve. "Alright, alright, respected Professor Reed!"

She let go but leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling. "To thank my esteemed mentor for his help yesterday, I've booked a private room tonight. You absolutely have to come!"

Then, as if just noticing me standing nearby, she turned, her smile bright, and invited, "Dr. Jenkins, you should come too! The more, the merrier!"

Elara POV

"You two go." I didn't want to make myself unhappy, so I declined Chloe's invitation. "I have plans tonight and can't make it."

"Oh, Dr. Jenkins, don't be such a buzzkill!"

Chloe seemed oblivious to my aloofness. She came over in a few steps, intimately grabbed my arm, and shook it, her actions full of enthusiasm.

"I've already told everyone else in the lab, and they've all agreed! You're the only one left!"

I frowned, wanting to pull my hand away.

I disliked such overly familiar physical contact, especially from Chloe.

Adrian suddenly spoke in a steady voice, "Since Chloe invited everyone, you should go too."

I looked up at him. I remembered he always hated attending such events.

He thought such gatherings were a pure waste of time, utterly meaningless.

That's why, for my birthday, when I invited everyone from the lab to dinner, he only sent me a message and had a bouquet of flowers delivered, never showing up himself.

At the time, I thought it was just his personality, so even though I felt a little lost and sad, I quickly understood.

But now, he was so quick to agree to Chloe's invitation.

The contrast was truly stark.

I didn't refuse again, deciding it would be my last gathering with colleagues before I left.

That evening, when my colleagues and I arrived at the private room, we found a row of unfamiliar young people already seated, chatting and laughing loudly.

Seeing us enter, Chloe immediately stood up from the crowd and greeted us with a smile, "You're here! Come in and sit down!"

She warmly linked her arm through Adrian's, leading him towards the main seat, while introducing him to the others.

"These are all my dad's former students, Adrian's classmates. We're all familiar faces, so no need to be shy!"

Adrian's classmates immediately gathered around, slapping his back and exchanging pleasantries.

"Adrian, you finally showed up!"

"Exactly! You never come to our gatherings; you only have eyes for your research papers and new drug development. It's only because Chloe personally invited you today that you're willing to come!"

Adrian was pulled by his classmates to sit with them. After greeting the lab colleagues, Chloe turned and sat next to Adrian.

The private room quickly became lively.

Some were singing, some were drinking, others were chatting and playing games together.

During a brief lull, I heard someone from Adrian's group laughing, "Our professor's best student back then was Adrian, and now Chloe is Adrian's student. This connection is practically divine!"

This immediately drew a chorus of agreement.

"Our professor had his eye on Adrian for a long time. He told me several times privately that he wanted Adrian and Chloe to get married!"

"Oh, isn't it obvious? Everyone can see how different Adrian is with Chloe, and Chloe is clearly in love with Adrian. They're such a perfect match and clearly like each other; I'm sure they'll end up together!"

Chloe shot them a look. "What are you talking about? Adrian and I are just mentor and student now, not the kind of relationship you're thinking of!"

"Oh, she's shy!" Everyone laughed. "Your face is all red, and you still say no? Chloe, you're not being honest!"

"Exactly! It's only a matter of time!" Another classmate poured two full glasses of alcohol and handed them to Adrian and Chloe. "Come on! Since everyone's happy today and we've set the mood perfectly, make it official and announce your relationship! What do you say, everyone?"

"Yes!"

The private room erupted in boisterous applause.

The female colleague next to me frowned. "Elara, wasn't Professor Reed engaged to you? What is this... why isn't Professor Reed explaining anything?"

My throat tightened, and I managed a strained smile, but didn't know how to answer.

My colleague couldn't stand it. "This isn't right. I'm going to tell them."

"No need, Ms. Taylor." I quickly stopped her.

Since Adrian didn't want to publicize our relationship and permitted such misunderstandings, why should I humiliate myself?

Besides, our engagement was already off.

The others continued to egg them on, Chloe blushing and playing coy, and Adrian was clearly finding it hard to resist their enthusiasm.

I didn't want to watch anymore, to spare myself further unhappiness, so I put down my juice glass.

"Ms. Taylor, I'm going to the restroom."

Elara POV

I stayed in the restroom for nearly twenty minutes. Finally, I turned on the faucet, splashed cold water on my face, and felt some of the dull ache in my heart dissipate before pushing the door open.

Just as I exited the restroom, I saw Adrian's tall, slender frame standing outside the door.

He looked up at me. "Why were you in the restroom for almost half an hour?"

My footsteps faltered slightly, and I casually replied, "My stomach was a little upset."

"Is it serious?" He frowned slightly.

"Nothing major." I didn't want to dwell on the topic, so I changed the subject. "Were you waiting for me here? Do you need something?"

Adrian stood with his hands in his pockets. "You've been out of the room for so long, I was a little worried, so I came to check."

I pursed my lips and nodded.

"Let's go, I'll take you home."

I was a little surprised. "We're leaving just like that?"

"Isn't your stomach upset?" he asked flatly. "Do you want to stay here?"

I certainly didn't want to stay.

I thought for a moment and said, "It's rare for you to gather with your classmates. You can stay longer. I'll just take a cab back by myself."

Adrian looked at me with a puzzled expression for a long time but didn't ask anything further.

He suddenly spoke. "Everything they said just now was a joke. You don't need to take it seriously."

I was surprised, startled.

He... was he explaining himself to me?

Seeing that I remained silent, Adrian gestured again. "Let's go, we're heading back."

He turned and walked ahead, his back straight and distant.

I followed behind him, watching his retreating figure. In that moment, a feeling stirred within my heart. Perhaps he actually cared about me.

But that thought didn't last long.

Less than five minutes later, reality told me it was just my imagination.

Adrian pulled his car up to me and lowered the window, signaling me to get in.

Just as I reached for the passenger door, a petite figure darted forward and opened it first.

"Adrian!" Chloe, grinning, slid into the passenger seat and buckled up. "I'm heading back too. Can you drop me off?"

Then she gave me an apologetic smile. "Dr. Jenkins, I'm sorry, but I've had a bit to drink and feel dizzy. I want to sit in the front. Is it okay if you sit in the back?"

I looked at her, then at Adrian in the driver's seat.

Adrian remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

As the car owner, he showed no intention of telling Chloe to sit in the back. If I spoke up, I'd be the one seeming out of line.

So, without a word, I turned and opened the back door.

The car's interior was filled with a faint woodsy scent, Adrian's usual car air freshener.

Chloe chattered non-stop as soon as she got in, making the atmosphere very lively.

"Adrian, I'm so happy you came today!"

"Oh, right, remember that Michelin-starred restaurant we went to last time? I went again by myself, and their new dish was absolutely delicious! Next time, you have to try it with me!"

"My dad asked me yesterday if you had some free time soon. He wants to invite you over for dinner and maybe show you his art collection..."

She spoke of topics exclusively theirs, ones I couldn't enter.

Adrian didn't say much, but he responded to every one of her statements, his tone unusually gentle.

I simply turned my head to gaze at the rapidly receding night view outside the window, pretending I wasn't there.

As the car drove steadily, suddenly, a dark shadow darted out from the roadside bushes.

"Look out!"

Adrian sharply swerved the wheel, trying to avoid it, but the car crashed violently into the roadside barrier.

With a loud bang, the immense impact threw all three of us forward.

In a flash, I saw Adrian instinctively reach out to shield Chloe, pulling her into his arms.

"Ah!" Chloe screamed, curling up in his embrace. "Adrian! I'm so scared..."

"It's okay, don't be afraid," Adrian whispered, patting her back. "We just hit the barrier; the car has stopped. Are you hurt?"

"I don't know. I'm just so scared." Chloe sobbed, her face buried in his chest.

Adrian comforted her for a few more moments. Once Chloe's emotions had stabilized, he finally remembered there was someone in the back seat.

He turned his head, glancing at me in the back, about to ask if I was okay.

But in the next second, his pupils suddenly constricted.

Blood was gushing from my forehead, winding down my cheek and staining my pale face.

I sat there quietly. No screaming, no crying, not even a whimper of pain.

"Elara!"