The flight back home was quiet, almost suffocating in its silence. Ava sat beside Damon, staring out of the airplane window as the city lights below grew larger with their descent. Her mind was a battlefield, torn between duty and the undeniable connection she had formed with him. She could still hear her father’s voice ringing in her ears, a stark reminder of who she was supposed to be. Every mile closer to home felt like a chain tightening around her, pulling her back into a life she had momentarily let slip away.
Damon shifted beside her, his sharp gaze flickering toward her. "You’ve been quiet since this morning," he remarked, his voice low but probing. "Something on your mind?"
Ava forced a small smile, shaking her head. "Just tired. The trip was exhausting."
He didn’t seem convinc
