He didn’t look at my eyes; instead, his gaze drifted out the window to the skyline beyond. The silence stretched between us, heavy and unrelenting.
“Her name was Elena,” he said finally, his voice low. “We were close. Grew up together.”
I watched him carefully, the vulnerability in his tone making my chest ache. “What happened?”
His lips pressed into a thin line before he exhaled sharply, leaning back in the chair. “She was the only person who made the chaos around me feel... normal. My childhood wasn’t easy, Bella. My father was a ruthless man, and in our world, emotions are liabilities.”
He paused, his jaw tightening. “But with Elena, I could let my guard down. She was light. Laughter. Everything I wasn’t allowed to be.”
I leaned in slightly, my hands still resting on his shoulders.
