Whether he denied it or not, Xavier was cruel. How could he just blurt out something like that and expect her to believe it? What was she supposed to do with that information?

Penny closed her eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. She'd managed to hold herself together so far - she refused to cry in front of him now.

Even though she knew better than to believe him, his words had brought a whole swell of emotions up inside her - hope, anger, fear, joy, ...