Ru watched the unraveling between the two with unreadable eyes. Eventually, he turned to the velvet curtain of the box. His intention was clear: to leave with his dignity intact.
But Heise's hand—long fingers curling with feral insistence—dug into Ru's bare shoulder, drawing twin beads of blood.
"Where do you think you're going?" Heise murmured, his breath caressing Ru's hair like a phantom wind.
Ru was shivering while he slowly attempted to remove the clawed fingers from his body, but he tried to hide his discomfort as much as possible.
"I'm doing what I have to do. I'm stepping back from two people who clearly still love each other."
Heise's laugh was iced. "You don't get to leave. Not again." This time, he grabbed Ru's arm, a reddish hue appearing beneath his claws.
Ru's eyes shuttered slightly, and he maintained a polite demeanor as he turned. "If you're waiting for me to apologize, I'll do it. I'll kneel at Claude's feet if that's what you want. Just... let me go."