ind her way out of her father's shadow. But what followed was unexpected, a cascade of words that sh

se in his world, that was a virtue, but I couldn't stand him. I spent my entire teenage years trying to fi

ghtly as if to encourage him to continue. He could feel the pa

uickly resumed. "My mother never had a chance to be happy. She spent her time trying to appease him, trying to undo the damage h

was soft, but firm, a statement that see

by the certainty in his ton

never care about such matters. You, you bear the weight of his mistakes, even

ss crossing her gaze. She wasn't used to this kind o

forget everything, to change my name, to disappear somewhere

asy. But it's not impossible either. You deserve to be able to move fo

st wanting to will you out of this? There's always someone to remind me where I cam

er, his eyes capturing hers. "Maybe you don't have to do this alone. Maybe you just

iciously. "And you thi

claim to have all the answers, but I know what it's like to want to break f

es, hesitant. "How

for starters. You have a gallery, don't you? Perhaps I could help you att

do that?" she asked

lieve in you. And maybe also because I know what it's li

he had planted a seed. He hadn't expected her to agree right away

t's a good idea,"

tleness. "I'm not here to force you into anything.

wary, but something in he

ndro could feel that he had gained a little more of her trust. She w

lighter weight in her steps, as if just talking

oftly as she arrived in

r wh

to me. Few

htly. "Always a pleasu

isfaction rise inside him. The game h