The sound of glass shattering still echoed in her ears.
Elena didn’t wait. She turned and bolted through the hallway, heels clicking frantically against the polished floor. Her breathing was sharp and shallow, her vision blurred. She didn’t know where she was going—only that she needed air. Space. Distance.
She pushed open the nearest door and stumbled onto the balcony. The night air hit her like a slap, sharp and cold. Her hands gripped the stone railing as she leaned over it, chest heaving.
Why was he here?
How did he find her?
She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to slow the wild pace of her thoughts.
“This isn’t real,” she whispered to herself, eyes wide as if she could see the truth in the stars. “He’s not real. He’s gone. He was supposed to be gone. Why now?”
The city
