Chapter 212. Numb

He shuddered, disgusted with himself. His hands—the same hands that had pinned Zahra down, the same hands that had violated her personal space, the same hands that had stolen the spark from her eyes—felt dirty. Tainted. No matter how many times he clenched his fists, no matter how tightly he shut his eyes, he could feel it.

Her fear.

Her helplessness.

Her silent screams.

“What have I done?” he whispered, his voice raw, broken. He ran his fingers through his hair, gripping it tight as if punishing himself for the monster he had been.

“What have we done?” His voice cracked, teetering on the edge of hysteria.

All those memories—those horrible, cruel memories—crashed over him, drowning him in a sea of self-hatred.

He had stolen the light from Zahra’s eyes.

He had helped destroy her father.

He had torn apart a family that had done nothing to deserve it.

And for what?

Because his father’s lust for money had no limits.