Sitting across Ethan on the balcony of a quiet rooftop bar, Killian watched the city below them as the lights sparkled like gleaming stars. For a moment, there were no expectations - just two old friends sharing dinner and the weight of all that had fallen apart.
Killian ran a hand through his hair, frustration tightening his features. “They’re all pushing Chloe at me again,” he said flatly. “Like it’s some business merger that needs to happen like yesterday. My father. Even my mom and Lydia. No one's trying to know Aria."
Ethan sat back, with a slow breath out. "Not shocked, and I don't see why you are, too. Especially with your dad. That’s how most of your family’s relationships have always worked - strategic, convenient.”
Killian didn’t bother asking if it was a pattern. He already
