Zong Fang took a long time to pull himself out of his memories and find his voice again.
His chest felt unbearably tight. He wanted to ask if she liked that pretty boy, but the words got stuck in his throat. He knew that if he asked, they would fight, and if they fought, she would be upset. If she was upset, he would feel even worse. So, he swallowed the breath he'd been holding back.
"Qiaoqiao, I was wrong. What I did wasn't right. I should never have left you alone, no matter the reason. I shouldn't have neglected you either. What can I do to make you forgive me?"
Qiao Suisui closed her eyes, weary, and gently pulled her hand from his.
"You don't have to do this. We both lack trust in each other. If the press conference incident wasn't your doing, then tell Soter not to interfere with my freedom. I want to stay wherever I choose to. Also, I will not return to the research center to be treated as a specimen for study, never."