"Maybe we've been wrong all along…"
And just like that, the whispers started turning into stares. All directed at one person.
Jana.
She could feel their eyes, sympathy from some, mockery from others. All of it felt like needles pricking her skin.
The proud girl who just moments ago stood tall with confidence now looked like a fragile doll on the verge of shattering.
She forced herself to walk. One step… then another.
But the moment she turned away from the field, a single tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
She broke into a run.
The hallway echoed with the sound of her footsteps and quiet sobs as she disappeared down the corridor, shame burning hotter than the sun. Her chest ached, her pride in tatters.
Why… why did he choose her?
And in that moment, all of Jana's carefully crafted confidence came crashing down.
On the other side.
The atmosphere in the grand meeting hall was thick with tension.
