Her heart betrayed her with a sudden, painful beat.
"What does he say?"
"That the past cannot be changed."
Shin Gu closed her eyes.
Those words hurt more than she expected.
Perhaps because they sounded exactly like something Prince Liang would say when he was trying to convince himself of a truth he did not want to accept.
Or perhaps because they were true.
The man continued.
He believes you are dead. He has mourned you in his own way. But he has responsibilities, and he cannot spend the rest of his life chasing a ghost."
Shin Gu's face remained still.
Only her fingers betrayed her.
They had curled tightly into her sleeves.
"He has moved on," she whispered.
"He must."
She nodded once.
It was a small movement.
Almost imperceptible.
Then she said, "Good."
The man studied her.
"Good?"
"Yes."
She lifted her chin.
