Chapter 16

After the competition ended, Darren still hadn't come out of his daze. He left the venue without a word and headed straight for the backstage area. The hallway lights were dim, casting long shadows. That was where he finally caught up to Kayla, who was gathering her materials alone. "Kayla," he called out. She turned around, and his breath hitched. Up close, she was even more radiant than she had been on stage—but her eyes held a distance he had never seen before. "Mr. Tate." She stepped back slightly. "Is there something you need?" The way she addressed him hit like a slap to the face. Darren's throat tightened. "Are you… doing well?" "Very well." She glanced at her watch. "If there's nothing else, my partner is waiting for me." "Wait!" Darren reached out and grabbed her wrist without thinking. But the moment his eyes landed on the scar at her shoulder, he froze. It was the kind of wound only shattered glass could leave. It was raw and jagged, carved deep into what had once be