"Your mother... died."
Jonathan slowly closed his eyes after uttering those heartfelt words. The words felt heavy in his chest, carrying years of unspoken truths and painful memories.
Although his mother had abandoned him long ago, Aether had never openly hated her.
At least, he had never shown that hatred in front of his friends. Whenever her name came up, he never spoke with bitterness, nor did he rant about revenge or complain about the years she had stolen from him.
Instead, he would occasionally ask whether anyone had heard news about her, quietly checking on her well-being as though she were still an important part of his life.
That much he loved her.
That was the part Jonathan could never understand.
The woman had abandoned him and cast him aside for years, yet Aether continued worrying about her as though she had done nothing wrong.
