Chapter 104

She looked at me and tried to smile. "So now you're the protector, huh?" But it was empty. That smile had no life in it. And then—just like that—her face crumpled. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over before she could stop them. She covered her mouth as if she could hold it in. I moved closer and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me without saying a word. I just held her. No questions. No pressure. I gently stroked her hair, letting her cry. "I broke up with Lucian," Anna finally said, her voice cracking as the words spilled out between sobs. "He and I… we were never right for each other. We come from different worlds. He's rich, powerful. And I…" She didn't finish. She didn't have to. I could hear everything she didn't say. "He never loved me," she continued, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. "I was just someone he used. He only came to me to make his ex jealous. And it worked. She came back. They're getting married." My stomach twisted. I had trusted that guy.