THIRD PERSON POV
Kade laughed, it was a hollow, bitter sound. “Worse? You think this is the worst it can get?” His gaze swept over the crowd watching him like vultures. “They’ll forget you tomorrow, Liora. That’s what people do. You’re a novelty. an act. But me?” His voice cracked into a sneer. “I’ll always be a Hayes.”
Liora’s expression didn’t change. “Then start acting like one.” she said coldly, his words didn't move her. But hee words kept on striking Kade. The silence that followed cut deeper than any insult.
Rowan stepped closer then, not saying a word, just enough to make Kade instinctively step back. It wasn’t aggression, it was dominance, the kind that came from absolute control. Every muscle in Kade’s body screamed defiance, but his eyes betrayed what he truly felt, f
