Page 64 of The Yoga Teacher

But she knew what she felt.

Exhausted.

Exposed.

And not as unaffected as she wanted to be.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Daniel

DANIEL SPLASHED COLD water on his face. It did nothing.

He stared at his reflection, watching the way the droplets clung to his jaw, the way his eyes looked sunken, bruised. Like a man unraveling one thread at a time.

He barely registered the sound of the door creaking open until he caught movement in the mirror.

James stepped inside.

He didn’t say anything. Just leaned against the tiled wall, arms folded, gaze unreadable.

Daniel braced.

But James didn’t look angry. He just stood there, watching him like he was trying to understand something that didn’t make sense.

Daniel couldn’t take it. He turned back to the sink. “You can say it. That I’m a piece of shit.”

James was quiet for a moment before he spoke. “I don’t need to say it. I think you already know.”

The words landed with more weight than Daniel expected.

James took a breath, still leaning against the wall. “I keep thinking about Mia,” he said, almost to himself. “About what I’d do if she looked atmethe way Hannah looked at you tonight.”

Daniel flinched.

James went on. “I’m not trying to rub it in. I just—” He paused, then looked over at Daniel. “I would rather lose a limb than ever make Mia hurt like that. I’m not built for it.”

Daniel swallowed hard, throat thick.

“And I thought you had that, too,” James said, voice soft. “That kind of love. That kind of loyalty.”

Daniel stared at the sink. At the cheap soap dispenser. At anything but James.

“I don’t hate you,” James added. “I just don’t understand you.”

Daniel’s hands tightened against the edge of the counter.

He didn’t look up. Just said, low and rough, “Ihate me.”

Silence.

“I fucking hate me, James.” His voice cracked. “I wake up every morning and want to crawl out of my own skin. I can’t even look at her—can’t even think about her—without wanting to rip my chest open.”

He shook his head, breath catching. “She gave me everything. And I threw it away like a stupid, selfish, fucking fool.”

James didn’t move.

Daniel’s eyes burned, but he didn’t let the tears fall. Not here. Not now.

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