Elena's pov:
Month after month.
Brighton's visits became longer. More elaborate, more like a session.
He'll sit for hours, just talking, saying a lot of things, and I had no choice but to listen
He'll say stuff about his life, his accomplishments, and how I'd been a problem.
"Do you know what it's like?" he asked one day. "To build an empire over decades, only to watch it crumble because of one self-righteous little girl?"
I didn't answer. Hadn't spoken in days and definitely didn't feel like.
"I was a senator. A powerful man. I had influence, money, and respect. And you took all of it."
I croaked. My voice was barely a whisper now. "You killed innocent people."
"They were collateral damage. Necessary sacrifices for the greater good."
"There's no greater good in murder."
He backhanded me. I barely felt it anymore. The pain had become constant, overwhelming. Individual hits didn't register.
