Chapter 27: Broken But Not Defeated

Elara’s POV

Vander gazed upward at the brilliant canopy of stars, seemingly unbothered by my social fumbling.

"You don't need to apologize for asking," he finally said, his voice gentle. "Their stories aren't secrets. In fact, they're proud of their journeys—their scars are badges of survival, not marks of shame."

He gestured toward a small wooden bench nestled among flowering desert plants, t