Damien pov
"Yes." I looked down at our joined hands. "And Aria, I can't take that back. Can't undo the damage I did. But I need you to know—every cruel word I said, every horrible thing I accused you of—it was all a lie. A desperate, cowardly lie to protect myself from feeling something real."
She was quiet for so long I thought she might leave. Might tell me that knowing the truth made it worse, not better. Then she touched my face gently. "Thank you for telling me."
"That's it?" I looked up at her. "Just thank you?"
"What else is there to say?" Her smile was sad. "You were broken, Damien. Your father broke you systematically, taught you that love was death. And yes, you hurt me terribly. But—" She paused. "But understanding why helps. It doesn't erase the pain, but it helps me see that it wasn't about me. It was about you being too damaged to accept love."
