LUCAS
The next day, Ava went out and she came back to get me.
Lilya's anger blazed in her eyes as she faced me, her sword poised for a strike. I had anticipated this reaction, even though I hoped for a different outcome. Ava stood nearby, a witness to the storm that had erupted between us.
"Why are you here, Lucas?" Lilya demanded, her voice tinged with frustration. "You've caused enough chaos in my life. I don't need your presence now."
I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I came to make things right, Lilya. To apologize."
Her laughter was bitter, a stark contrast to the Lilya I remembered. "Apologize? Is that supposed to fix everything? You think 'I'm sorry' can erase what you did?"
Ava's presence seemed to cast a shadow over our confrontation. I could sense her u
