Naomi chuckled bitterly, her eyes fixed on the floor, as though the very ground beneath her might swallow her whole. An idiot, she whispered again, her voice thick with regret and resignation. The words felt like a self-imposed sentence, the weight of them sinking deep into her chest.
It was as if she couldn't escape the cruel thoughts that relentlessly circled her mind, thoughts she had grown accustomed to over the years. Her body felt small in the vast emptiness of the room, as if the shame she carried was too large for her fragile frame.
"Naomi," a strained voice interrupted the silence, its soft tone slicing through her like a blade. The words hit her harder than any shout could have. Despite the gentleness of Zylan's voice, it carried an urgency she couldn't ignore.
