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~Belinda's POV
He stared at me silently for a while, then said softly, "That's what every fool says after they've fallen."
His words stung, but they were true.
"I hate myself," I whispered, choking on tears. "I hate everything I did. I should've died instead."
"Don't say that," he said quickly, though his voice was still tired. "Don't ever say that."
"But it's true!" I yelled. "I ruined everything. I ruined your name, our family's honor, our lives. I don't deserve to live!"
He reached out suddenly and grabbed my hand. His grip was weak but firm. "Listen to me," he said, looking straight into my eyes. "You did wrong, yes. You did something terrible. But dying won't fix it. Living is your punishment now. You'll live and face what you've done."
I shook my head, crying harder. "I don't think I can."
"You can," he said. "You have to."
