Anna sat there on the small bench, shivering. Her father had almost died believing that she'd left this world. And all because she had been worried that he would not listen to her and let her choose a life of her own.
She had been so consumed by fear that he would never truly understand her desires, that he would dismiss her dreams without a second thought, that she had made a cowardly decision to run away instead of confronting him. In her desperation, she had turned to Kael, begging him to help her escape the confines of a life that felt stifling. If only she had been stronger, more resolute in her beliefs, none of this would have spiraled out of control.
What a fool had she been! All this while, she'd been cursing herself for not knowing whom to love. But in the end, she'd almost ended up losing the one person who loved her dearly and unconditionally.
