"Don't cry." He wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "He doesn't deserve your tears."
Anne trembled, her chest rising and falling with quiet sobs. "It hurts," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Augustine stiffened for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden closeness. But as he felt her trembling in his embrace, he relaxed, his hand caressing her hair. He didn't speak, didn't try to offer empty words of comfort—he simply held her, allowing her to pour out the sorrow she had kept buried.
But beneath his calm exterior, a storm raged.
'Denis,' his jaw tightened, 'I'll make you pay for every single tear she sheds.'
A long moment passed. Eventually, Anne's sobs quieted, her breathing steadying. Realizing how tightly she had been clinging to him, she quickly pulled back, embarrassment flooding her expression.
A deep flush spread across her cheeks.
"I-I'll go freshen up."
