The moment Isiah stood up and spat those cold words at her, Lexie fell silent, offering no rebuttal. Only then did she realize that his consciousness had fully returned.
Yet she felt no resentment. To her, his harshness was understandable, a reassuring signal that he had emerged from the terrifying void of his nightmare.
'Hate me all you wish,' she thought quietly. 'I truly do not mind.'
After witnessing his desperate, shattered state on the floor, she preferred his cruel, cold rejection over seeing him broken by the horrors inside his own mind.
Heigl entered the room shortly after, his face battered and bruised, reeking of burned flesh and ash. His eyes burned with intense, bitter anger as he glared at Isiah, convinced the man's ruthless behavior was actively sabotaging their survival.
To Heigl, wielding such monstrous power demanded sacrifices Isiah refused to accept, making his struggle appear childish and naive.
