Zeriel stood before Alisha, his face shadowed with regret. Zeriel's once-confident demeanor had crumbled, replaced by a man baring his soul in the hope of reconciliation.
"Alisha," he began again, his voice raw and steady, though his hands trembled ever so slightly. "Please listen to me. I know I've wronged you, and I know how deeply I've hurt you. But I've come here because I need to make things right."
Alisha's lips curled into a wry smile, through her eyes remained as cold as glass. "You need me, Zeriel? Or is it just my talent you can't do without?" Her voice was sharp, a dagger honed by disappointment. She crossed her arms tightly across her chest, the gesture one of both defiance and self-protection. "Tell me the truth for once."
He flinched as though her words had physically struck him. "I—" Zeriel hesitated, fumbling for the right words. "I know it seems like I'm here for the company, but it's more than that. Alisha, I—"