"Don't feel pity for me," Micah suddenly said, his voice rousing Violet from her thoughts.
"W—what?" She stammered, caught off guard.
"You heard me," he replied evenly, his piercing gaze fixed on her.
Violet snorted, trying to appear casual. "Who said I feel pity for you? Everybody goes through shit."
But Micah's stare didn't waver. It was as though he could see straight through her words, unraveling her pretense effortlessly. His unblinking intensity made her fidget.
"Okay. Fine." Violet threw her hands up. "No pity. You could die right now, and I wouldn't care," she said, her face deadpan.
For a moment, there was silence. And then Micah burst into deep, genuine laughter that echoed through the room. His reaction was so unexpected that Violet found herself laughing too, her snark dissolving into genuine mirth.
However, the levity was short-lived.
