"Okay, okay," Leo said, lifting his hands as if surrendering. "But listen, Zayden. Protecting her is one thing. Falling for her? That's a whole different game. You already have enough enemies without mixing in feelings for someone you shouldn't."
Zayden shook his head, as if trying to shake loose the thought. "She keeps lying to me, again and again. I can't deal with that."
"And yet you keep chasing after the truth instead of just tossing her out," Leo pointed out. "If her lies really bothered you, you would have ditched her out in the woods already."
Zayden fell silent, his fists still clenched at his sides. He couldn't shake the feeling that Leo was spot on, and the realization hit hard.
Leo pressed on, his tone thoughtful. "The fiancée, though… You don't even bother with her. You don't even care enough to argue. Why's that?"
"Because she's fake," Zayden shot back, surprising himself with how bitter he sounded.
