Ovelia's POV
The air was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of the villagers' stares as they fixated on Khaleed. Their expressions were a mosaic of emotions—confusion, pity, and simmering anger. My gaze lingered on a male vendor, and I remembered he was the vendor who sells grilled corn and pan de coco. His weathered face was etched with worry, his hands fidgeting nervously as he watched Khaleed. It was clear he cared deeply for the man despite everything.
I turned to Khaleed, who kneeled to the ground with his shoulders slumped, his head bowed as if trying to shrink into himself. My heart ached for him, but I knew words alone wouldn't fix what had been broken. Still, I had to try.
"Pan de coco is one of your village's delicacies, and I love it," I said, my voice warm and encouraging. "If more people knew about it, I'm sure they'd come here just to taste it. Your village has so much to offer."
