Lucian sighed deeply, catching sight of Avey standing in his path, her eyes focused solely on him. He looked down, avoiding her gaze altogether, his chest tightening as he approached. If I stop, it's going to create another scene, just like yesterday. The thought weighed heavily on him.
Please, Avey… he thought, just don't do it again. But even as he hoped, he knew her too well—her persistence, her vulnerability, the way she wore her emotions openly, even at her own expense. He wasn't naive enough to think she'd walk away easily, and he knew the heartbreak she might face if the crowd got the show they wanted. He could already sense the whispers around them, like a low hum waiting to turn into a roar if anything happened. He knew that, unlike him, Avey wasn't used to carrying that weight.
