Chapter 24: Public Humiliation

Lumina

"People like me?" I leaned forward, my voice getting so low as I added, feeling disgusted with her and her clearly unacceptable behavior.

"Or people like you? Because that's what this is about, isn't it? You're projecting. You're the one who hurts him."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I? I've seen how he flinches, how he freezes up. That's not fear of strangers – that's learned behavior. That's a child who has always known to expect pain for any small mistakes."

Sophia's face was filled with rage, and before I could react, she was moving. Her hand came up fast, trying to...