Unveiled Histories, A Defiant Voice

Faye's gaze swept around the room, settling momentarily on each face before landing on Orion. The vulnerability in her eyes was quickly replaced by determination as she squared her shoulders.

"I fell in love with Orion," she began, her voice soft but steady. "Not with his position or his power, but with him. He was kind to me when I needed kindness most."

I shifted uncomfortably, feeling like an intruder in someone else's painful history. The room had grown unnaturally quiet, everyone hanging on her every word.

"At first, it was perfect," Faye continued, a wistful smile playing on her lips. "He would bring me flowers, write me notes... make me feel like I was the only woman in the world."

Orion's face remained impassive, but I felt his muscles tense beside me. A knot formed in my stomach as I waited for the inevitable turn in her story.