His lips parted, a flicker of unspoken words hovering on the edge, but before that Rida looked up at him again. But instead of comfort, there was unease in her eyes—not fear of him, but of what his unpredictability might unleash. A quiet plea lingered in the set of her jaw, as if hoping he wouldn’t create a scene here.
“Ri—” His voice barely formed her name before she cut him off with silence. Turning away, she brushed past him, the faintest interruption, her refusal more telling than words.

“Come on, Akansha,” she said, her voice clipped, carrying her away.