But her core programming—the part of her that viewed human beings as disposable assets for her own physical needs—had never changed.
"That's not how love works," Julian cried, his voice echoing in the dim room, raw and bleeding. "You can't just... you can't just use people like toys! You can't let other men touch you and then tell me I'm your husband!"
Elara's brow furrowed deeper. The thermal anomaly in her chest was doing something very strange. It wasn't warm anymore. It felt tight. It felt like a sharp, cold needle pressing against her heart.
"I do not understand," Elara said, her simple words faltering slightly as she felt that strange, cold pain. "Why does it matter who touches my skin, if my heart is only thinking about you? I am not leaving you. I am just exercising."
Julian couldn't listen anymore.
