Ella, if you cannot do it, just step back now. Don't waste my time."
Her heart, already racing, seemed to lurch and then stall as the words landed. She stared at the man in front of her, at the sharp planes of his face and the coldness in his eyes, at the way his shirt hung open, revealing a chest as unmoved as his voice. He was watching her—expression unreadable, arms loosely by his sides, waiting to see if she'd crumble.
"I am trying," she said, her voice cracking, thin with frustration. "But I can't..."
He didn't soften even a little.
"Stop thinking for yourself," he said. "Be selfish. Be true to yourself. That should come naturally to you—since you only thought of yourself when you tried to harm Serena."
That stung.
