Pearl stood frozen, the gun still heavy in her hand, but nothing felt heavier than the words Vansh had just said.
"I was part of it."
Her breath came in short, shallow bursts. She looked at him — really looked — and the image of that little boy in the photo, standing in the shadows of the fire, burned in her mind.
"You knew," she whispered, voice trembling. "You knew what they were going to do, and you let it happen."
Vansh didn't speak. He didn't move. He just stood there, letting her unravel.
Her chest heaved as she stepped back. "You watched my world burn. You watched."
"I didn't know it would go that far—" he began, but she cut him off with a laugh that was closer to a sob.
"That's the thing with you, isn't it? Always watching. Always just enough to feel guilty but never enough to stop it."
Her voice cracked, thick with the grief she'd buried for years.
"All this time, I thought I was haunted by a faceless past. But it had a face. Your face."
Vansh throat worked as he swallowed, but still he said nothing. Just stood there, soaked in her pain.
Pearl took another step back. Her hands were trembling again — not from fear, but from rage and heartbreak colliding in her chest like a storm.
"I don't know whether I want to scream at you or—"She stopped herself.
Vansh eyes flicked to hers. "Or what?"
"Or kiss you," she whispered, voice cracking, tears slipping down her cheeks. "And that's the worst part of all."
His breath caught — because he didn't expect her to say it. She hadn't expected herself to, either.
"But I won't," she added, voice cold again, stepping away. "Because I don't kiss traitors. Not even ones who regret it."
And with that, she turned her back to him — heart shattered, hands still holding the gun he made her learn to use.
"Pearl—wait."
She paused.
But she didn't turn around.
Vansh voice broke the space between them. Quiet. Ragged. Bare.
"I never asked to feel this way about you."
She shut her eyes.
"I was supposed to watch. Protect. Nothing more."A breath."But every time you smiled. Every time you stood up for yourself, for others… I forgot what I was."
She turned, finally, fury flickering behind glassy eyes."And what are you now, Vansh?"
He stepped toward her, slow. Controlled."I don't know. But I know what I'm not."
He met her gaze, every word like a wound."I'm not your enemy anymore."
Something in her expression cracked — just for a second.
But then—
CRACK.
A sharp sound outside. A twig snapping.
Pearl flinched, instinctively tightening her grip on the gun.
Vansh eyes snapped toward the noise. He was already in front of her, shielding her with his body, pulling a second gun from inside his jacket.
"Someone's here."
Pearl's blood went cold. "What?"
Vansh lowered his voice. "You think I'm the only one who's been watching you?"
He turned to her, fast and serious. "We need to move. Now."
Pearl's heart pounded in her chest.
The conversation was over — for now.
Because whatever was coming… it had found her