Her voice dropped to a whisper so filled with shame and pain it physically hurt to hear.
"Used me... they all used me... over and over... and I couldn't see their faces... couldn't see anything... just darkness and pain and...."
"Enough." Yunchen's voice was sharp, commanding, cutting through her spiral before she could sink deeper into that hell. "That's enough, Yuxi. Those are just nightmares Yuxi, that won't happen with me here... "
He shifted their positions, cupping her face in both hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks with desperate tenderness even though she couldn't fully wake.
"Listen to me. Those people, your so-called family, they're the worthless ones. Not you. Never you." His voice shook with barely contained fury and overwhelming protectiveness. You are precious. You are valuable. You are everything to me."
His forehead pressed against hers, his breath mingling with hers.
