"Then what are you doing? Because from where I'm sitting, you're making decisions about my life without consulting me. Again."
"You need help, Aurora. You can't just stay locked in your room all day."
"So you hired someone to what, drag me out? Force me to go shopping? Pretend everything's normal when my entire life is falling apart?"
"I hired someone to give you options!"
"I don't want options from you! I want you to stop trying to control everything!"
"I'm not trying to control you!"
"Yes, you are! You're doing exactly what my father did, just in a prettier cage!"
His face hardens. "I am nothing like your father."
"Making decisions for me, telling me what's best, treating me like I can't handle myself?"
"That's not fair."
"Neither is this situation!" I'm standing now, hands balled into fists. "I left my father to escape being controlled. I'm not going to let you do the same thing."
"Fine. You want to be independent? Be independent. See how long you last without protection in this world."
"Maybe I will!"
"Maybe you should!"
We're both breathing hard, staring at each other across the dining table.
"I hate you right now," I say.
"The feeling's fucking mutual."
I push past him, and make it to my room before the tears come.
I'm so angry. At Axel, at myself, at this whole impossible situation. I came here thinking it would be different. Thinking I'd have freedom, choices, a say in my own life.
A knock on my door interrupts my spiral.
"Go away, Axel," I call out.
The door opens anyway because, of course, he has autonomous power in his kingdom.
He stands in the doorway, looking as frustrated as I feel.
"What do you want?" I ask, not bothering to hide the tears.
"To not fight with you for five fucking minutes."
"Then stop trying to control me."
"I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to keep you safe in a world that wants to hurt you."
"By making every decision for me? By treating me like I'm incompetent?"
"That's not what I'm doing!"
“I'm so confused right now, Axel. We fight constantly. About everything. And I don't know if it's because we're wrong for each other or because we're both too stubborn to compromise."