Adrien turned to Marbel, bracing for judgment.

The Unlikely Answer

Marbel gasped softly as he stood. Her hands clutched her apron. For a moment, she said nothing.

At last, she spoke. “I always knew something was off. I saw the strength in your arms when you thought no one noticed. But I didn’t care about the act. What mattered was the loneliness in your eyes.”

Tears stung Adrien’s eyes. He admitted everything: his fear of being loved only for money, of never being seen as himself.