Just… over.
A hollow feeling opens up in my chest.
Because I know what that means.
No prize money.
No payout.
No clean resolution.
And more than that?—
No guarantee for Tilda.
The housing.
The promotion.
Everything she negotiated for.
I close my eyes for a second.
Damn it.
“Sir,” the security officer says, softer now. “We need to move you out of the arena.”
I nod absently.
“Yeah.”
I start walking toward the exit corridor, the weight of the situation settling heavier with every step.
The adrenaline is fading.
Leaving clarity behind.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Tilda came here for stability.
For security.
For a future she could build for Jesse.
And I?—
I brought chaos with me.
Again.
Even if it wasn’t my hand that pulled the trigger.
Even if I didn’t sabotage the containment.
It still traces back to me.
