Chapter 102 Breaking The Edge

• Ivan’s hand found mine, squeezing it gently. “I was blind, Veronica. I thought I was protecting my family, but in reality, I was only protecting their lies. I hate that it took me so long to realize.”
• I was silent for a moment, letting his words sink in. The hurt, the betrayal, it was still there, but hearing Ivan acknowledge his role in it, hearing him apologize with such sincerity, softened some of the walls I had built.
• “I just wanted to be enough for you, Ivan,” I whispered. “But your mother made me feel like I was nothing, and you… you never defended me.”