A New Dawn
Avery’s POV
I woke before dawn with the ghosts of the past still whispering in my mind. The hospital room was quiet except for the soft beeping of machines and the distant hum of early morning traffic. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece together who I was now that Lisa was gone and her empire lay in ruins. Every memory of our twisted history—her cold laughter, the sharp tang of fear during our encounters, and the heavy burden of guilt for all the lives she’d ruined—seemed to echo in the silence. But in that quiet, I also heard a small, persistent whisper of hope.
Noah had stayed by my side through it all, and even as I struggled to accept the new version of myself, he never let go of my hand. When I finally opened my eyes, his worried gaze met mine. “Morning
