The air crackled with energy as Wei stood over Lian, her body crumpled on the floor, gasping for breath. He felt the weight of his actions settle heavily upon him. The satisfaction he had anticipated faded into a hollow ache in his chest.
He took a step back, his hands trembling as the adrenaline began to ebb. Lian's eyes, once fierce and full of venom, now reflected only fear and pain. For a moment, their gazes locked, and in that silence, the weight of their shared history hung heavy between them.
"Why? Why did you have to love her and not me" she croaked, her voice hoarse.
"Because you cannot be compared to a strand of her hair," he replied, the bitterness creeping into his voice.
"I never meant for any of this to happen," Lian said, struggling to her feet, clutching her side as if to shield herself from him. "I thought… I thought I was protecting you. I wanted to keep you safe from the Shadow Sect."
