The Hero and The Pleasure He Gave
Gilbert could see the pain etched into every line of Beatrice's face. He reached out to take her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Beatrice, listen to me," he said softly. "Even when you're cursed, it's still not your fault. He took advantage of you when you were at your lowest point. You were not in control of your actions, he was."
Beatrice shook her head. "But they're all dead because of me. I could have stopped it, I should have stopped it."
Gilbert's grip tightened on her hand. "No, Beatrice, you couldn't have stopped it. You were a victim just as much as they were. And as for Sophie, she made her own choices. You cannot take responsibility for someone else's actions."
She looked into his unwavering gaze, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope.
"Maybe you're right, Gilbert," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "This is not entirely my fault."