Andrei didn't write another word to confirm or deny Ceres's blunt summary. His eyes had turned a painful, watery red, and he was violently trembling on the verge of a full emotional breakdown from sheer frustration. The terrifying weight of guilt crushed his small chest; he desperately did not want his careless words to become the catalyst that separated Belle and Eli.
Sensing his rising panic, Ceres softened her sharp tone, mapping out a comforting lie with tactical precision. "Listen to me, Drei. Eli is keeping those lovebirds strictly because you gave them to him as a precious parting gift, not because of some lingering, tragic feelings for his first love. Stop letting your mind run wild with these thoughts."
"Is that... is that really true?" Neon chimed in from the back seat, his young face riddled with anxiety. He cared deeply about his sister's stability, and the thought of Eli harboring an emotional ghost was deeply unsettling.
