He scrolled through the feeds, reading the hot gossip plastered across Starnet. Headlines screamed about Jian Ci and Alarna, painting them as a perfect match. Yu Xi's chest tightened, the words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit.
Pictures from Jian Ci's birthday celebration filled the space. Yu Xi's gaze locked on one photograph. Jian Ci, regal in deep blue and gold, his faint smile captured perfectly as Alarna leaned close, her presence intimate. Another photo followed—Alarna's arms wrapped tightly around Jian Ci in a hug.
Yu Xi's chest constricted. His breath came shallow, uneven. Jealousy burned through him like acid, searing every nerve. His psychic power began to ripple, erratic pulses flashing across his aura. He tried to suppress it, to force calm into his veins, but the more he stared, the more the storm inside him grew.
His eyes shifted, glowing with a dazzling green. He clenched his fists until his nails pierced flesh, blood welling in his palms. He didn't care.
