20. (DANE POV)

(DANE POV)

The entire ordeal was tearing me apart inside. Every fiber of my being screamed to go to her, to wrap her in my arms and assure her that everything would be fine. Yet, I lay rooted, constrained by the necessity of the lesson at hand.

While her rebellious spirit was one of the traits that drew me to her, it now posed a risk to our future within these walls. Her defiance and her unfiltered expressions of anger could jeopardize our chances of leaving this place behind.

If any trait needed curbing to ensure our success and safety, it was her tendency to speak without restraint.

As Jo's tears began, my resolve began to erode. I told myself that this harsh lesson was necessary, that it was for her own good in a world that wouldn't coddle her. But as the minutes ticked by, each second heavy with her quiet sobs, the consequence of my actions pressed down on me.

For an hour, I listened to the sound of her crying, each sob a crack in my facade. I knew I had to maintain a pretense o