As Rocco sat silently, overwhelmed with confusion and doubt, Sylas suddenly gripped his shoulders firmly.
"Ah—!"
The sheer force and passion in Sylas's action made Rocco gasp, his gaze snapping upward.
Their eyes met.
Sylas's amethyst-colored eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
He stared intently at Rocco, his voice rising as if pleading, as if desperate to make him understand.
"Rocco. Just listen to this one thing."
The resolute tone of Sylas's voice left no room for argument.
Rocco couldn't respond with but or because; the words dissolved on his lips, leaving him silent.
Sylas took a deep breath, and in the pause, his expression grew tense, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
"I love you, Rocco."
The words, spoken with a weight that felt like they carried the world, left Rocco frozen in place.