IVAN'S POV
"Because sometimes," I whispered into his hair, "people say things that wound us deeper than even claws can. It hits us right here." I pressed a hand to his chest. "It's deeper than any bruise, and it takes a little longer to heal. We want to be brave, we want to stand tall… but their words still hurt. And it's okay. It's okay that it hurts."
Asha nodded miserably, his tears hot on my skin.
"B-But I said sorry, Ivan. Mummy says sorry always fixes things. I said sorry when I spilled the cho-chocolate. But she didn't accept it. She just said more mean things, and… she brought Mummy into it too. Mummy m-must also be crying right now."
I pressed a kiss to the top of his head, my jaw tight with rage.
"That woman was not a good person, Asha. Some people… they don't want to forgive. They only want to hurt others because they're miserable. And when people do that, it doesn't mean what they say is true. It just means they're villains."
