?Chapter 1128:


    I didn’t answer, hoping whoever it was would leave me be.


    But this time, the door swung open with purpose, and a flood of harsh light from the hallway spilled in, chasing away the darkness.


    “Go away… please, just leave me alone,” I said, my voice barely audible as I squeezed my eyes shut, a sob catching in my throat.


    “Makenna, you can’t go on like this, starving yourself without food or water.” Alden’s voice, calm yet firm, cut through the quiet as he stepped inside and flicked on the light. His words rang clear, pulling me from my haze.


    I forced my eyes open, my brows knitting together in defiance. “Get out! I want to be alone!” I rasped, my throat raw and my voice barely a croak.


    But Alden didn’t waver. Ignoring my protests, he crossed the room in a few strides and gently but firmly pulled me upright. His touch was strong, yet there was a surprising tenderness in it.


    “Let me go!” I protested, my strength waning as I tried to pull away. “I don’t want food. I don’t want to see anyone!”


    Alden paid no heed to my struggles. He guided me to the table and eased me into a chair. A faint, coaxing smile yed on his lips.


    “Makenna, just eat a little, and I’ll give you your space. I promise.”


    I turned my face away, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not hungry. I’m not eating.”


    Without a word, Alden began arranging the dishes on the table, each movement deliberate. Then he sat across from me, his steady gaze locking onto mine, unwavering and patient.


    I sat still, my eyes fixed on the table, unwilling to meet his stare. The weight of my grief anchored me in ce.


    Undeterred, Alden picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and brought it to my lips. “Open your mouth. Let me feed you.”


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    Anger red within me, and I swatted his hand away. “I told you, I’m not eating! Stop pestering me!”


    “Makenna, you’ve gone all day without a bite. Your body can’t keep up like this,” Alden said, his voiceced with genuine concern as he studied me.


    Tears poured down my cheeks, unstoppable, like a river bursting its banks. Each breath felt like a battle, my chest tight with anguish. My hands gripped the tablecloth, knuckles white, as my voice trembled, barely holding together.


    “Alden… I can’t eat. Every time I think of my father’s death, it’s like a weight crushing me. I can’t breathe. Our family… it wasn’t meant to fall apart like this. It wasn’t supposed to end this way…”


    My words tumbled out in a broken mess, each oneced with pain that burned through me. Tears sshed onto the table, one after another, as I sank deeper into the tide of my despair.


    Alden fell silent, his presence a quiet anchor in the storm of my grief. Rising from his seat, he crossed the short distance between us and ced his hands firmly on my shoulders. His gaze met mine, unwavering and resolute, his voice steady as a heartbeat.


    “Makenna, this is all Leonardo’s doing. None of it is your burden to bear. You need to rise above this sorrow, not let it swallow you whole.”


    I stared at him, my breath catching, words failing me in the face of his conviction.


    His eyes zed with a fierce intensity, kindling a spark deep within me. They seemed to whisper that I was capable—that I had to be.


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