Heknewthetruth:theirdaughter''sinnocencewasalreadyshattered,hertraumacarveddeep.Furtherquestioningwouldonlyreopenwoundsandsaltthemwithshame.

        Theyhadn''tevenlethimfinishspeaking.Ahandhadsnatchedthepamphletontraumacounselors,eyesflickingtothestate-fundednoteatthebottom.Theirfacesweretight,pinchedwithangerandhumiliation.Thedoorhadslammedbeforehecouldexplain.

        Junlingeredinthehall,thedismissalpressingdownonhimlikeaweight.

        Bythetimehesteppedoutoftheapartmentcomplex,theexhaustionofthepastweekshadsettledintohisbones.

        Hehadseentoomuch.

        Someparentshaddeniedoutrightthattheirdaughterswerevictims,asthoughsilencecouldbleachawaythestain.Others—worse—hadaskedfirstaboutcompensation,theireyessharpwithcalculationinsteadofgrief.Asifsufferingcouldbetallied,priced,andsettledlikeabill.

        Itwasabitterawakening.

        Junhadgrownupprivileged—goldenspoonandall—surroundedbywealthandpolishedmanners.Evenincriminology,hehadstudiedmonstersintheory,notthequiet,everydaycrueltyofordinarypeople.

        NowheunderstoodwhyveteranslikeLuciancarriedadifferentedge.They''dlivedintheunderbelly,wheredesperationandgreedstrippedhumanitybareandtwisteditintosomethingunrecognizable.

        Forthefirsttime,Junwonderedifhetrulybelongedinthislineofworkatall.

        Junwashalfwaytohisparkedcarwhenaflickerofmovementfrozehiminplace—afamiliarsilhouette.

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