"You're blaming yourself, aren't you?" Axel asked softly.
Her lips trembled, but she couldn't form words. The truth was written all over her face.
He sighed. His expression softened, "You've done everything for Oliver. You've sacrificed, hidden, fought alone for years. But you can't control everything. You're not at fault for those people sniffing around where they don't belong."
Tears blurred Evelyn's vision as she whispered, "Axel… if Oliver's identity gets exposed. If his face ends up all over the internet, I'll blame myself. What if they start trolling him the way they did to me in the past?"
Evelyn's voice sounded trembling.
Axel felt a surge of frustration. Not at her, but at the world that had taught her to think everything was her fault.
"That's why we need to move out of this place." He wanted to say, but he bit it back.
He knew Evelyn. If he pushed too hard, she would retreat into her shell. He'd learned to be patient, to give her space until she was ready.
