"Being happy for others doesn't mean you don't feel the pain." Adrian said. "It raises hope, but it also has farther to fall." He looked at Kitty with a wry expression, "forgive me. It is a residual of high hopes being placed on my ability to win a battle that I might come across as quite pessimistic." Or pragmatic.

The hopes of the Speakers had been placed on the right man. Or right trio for he couldn't have defeated his father alone.