The echo of the temple doors slamming shut reverberated through the chamber. Aphrodite stood frozen in place, her tear-streaked face rigid, her chest heaving as though each breath was an effort. The silence left in Zafron's wake was deafening, broken only by the faint rustling of her silken robes as she turned abruptly to leave.
"I can't do this," she muttered under her breath, striding toward the ornate archway at the far end of the temple. Her heels clicked against the marble, each step sharp and deliberate.
"Running away again?" Eros's voice cut through the silence, infuriatingly calm and laden with mockery.
Aphrodite froze mid-step, her hands curling into fists at her sides. Slowly, she turned to face him, her expression a mask of barely restrained fury. "You have no idea what you've just done," she said through gritted teeth.
