"Are you feeling alright?" She extended her hand to touch his forehead, but he yanked her hand away.

“You’ve always been my enemy,” Jayden snarled, his voice tight with months of pain. “Everyone who ever got close to me—they got hurt! And why? Because you were the one pulling the strings. You wanted to get close… so you could destroy me from the inside.”

His breath came heavy. Rage and regret warred in his chest.

"Why not! Because this is how things work, Rita ...