AVELA’S POV
Lucas took the picture from my hand so fast it was almost a blur.
“It’s not what you think, Avela. I swear.”
His voice wasn’t defensive—just… scared. The kind of scared that makes your stomach twist because it’s too real.
I stared at him, trying to read his eyes. “Then what is it?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Let’s talk inside.”
I didn’t move. Not at first. I was still frozen in that haunting moment, his expression flickering between panic and something deeper—something like shame.
But he waited, standing there quietly, giving me space.
So I inhaled slowly, forced my shoulders to relax, and nodded.
We walked toward the elevator without another word.
The silence between us wasn’t empty. It was full—crowded with thoughts that wouldn’t stop spinning.
He was hidi
