Chapter 10
Julian felt his knees buckle beneath him as Elena stopped three feet away, her dark, profound eyes locking onto his with a glacial, unyielding intensity. There was no hatred in her expression, no lingering sadness, and no desire for petty revenge—only the cold, dismissive pity one reserves for an insignificant insect. "Hello, Julian; I see you finally managed to find your way to an intellectual event, though I doubt you understand a single word being said," Elena spoke smoothly.
Her voice was rich, melodic, and completely devoid of emotion, cutting through the heavy silence like a diamond blade slicing through cheap glass. Julian opened his mouth to speak, but his throat felt as though it were lined with coarse sand, choking off any feeble excuse he tried to form. "Elena... I spent thirteen years looking for you, trying to find out where you went after..." Julian stammered pathetically, reaching out a trembling hand.
