Ryker stood still, his brows pulled together in surprise. He had expected Aiden to brush him off or even ignore him, but the sudden burst of anger in Aiden's voice caught him completely off guard. His lips parted as if he wanted to defend himself, but for a moment, nothing came out. Finally, his voice lowered, uncertain.
"Did I… do something wrong? Why are you this angry at me?"
Aiden let out a long, heavy sigh, one that sounded as if it carried every ounce of exhaustion he had been hiding since he first stepped into this school. He didn't even look at Ryker when he spoke again. His tone wasn't sharp anymore, but it carried the weight of defeat.
"You know what… you didn't do anything wrong. It's not like I can blame you for my own stupidity. So, please, let me go. I need to see if I can at least rectify my own mistake."
