"I need you to know something else," she said, her voice firming with a desperate urgency. "Viktor. I know you hate him. I know he's a leash to you. But… watch him. He's harder to read than a closed book, but… he sees you. Really sees you. I think he understands the cage you're in better than anyone. I have a feeling… if I'm not there, he will be. In his own, messed-up, silent way. Let him. Trust me on this one last thing."
Hearing her say his name, slotting him into the narrative of her betrayal and her care, was surreal. It twisted the knife.
"This is the part where I'm supposed to give you some wise advice," she whispered, her voice fading slightly. "But all I have is this: don't let them make you hard. Don't let my lie convince you that real connection isn't possible. You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. It's your best and your most terrible quality. Please, don't bury it. Not forever."
