Lilia fell silent. She hadn't known Zethan had no parents. If she had, she wouldn't have brought it up so carelessly. Her face paled as she stammered, "Oh my… I'm so sorry about that. I had no idea."
Zethan immediately interrupted, his tone cool and indifferent. "It's fine, Loris. They've been gone a long time."
The nonchalance in his voice made her hesitate. She turned to him, studying his face, searching for any hint of emotion. There was no trace of pain or sorrow—just the same unreadable, cold gaze he always carried. It made her chest tighten. How could he be so unaffected?
Still, she couldn't help herself. The words spilled out before she could stop them.
"No, it's not," she blurted out. "It might seem that way, but I know… deep down… the loneliness—"
