~Damon~
I stepped back, giving her clear line of sight to the man she'd believed dead for years, then suddenly her villain. "Welcome back, Elara. I believe you two have some catching up to do."
Her expression cycled rapidly through shock, disbelief, and something dangerously close to hope before hardening into suspicion. "This is another trick," she said, her voice steadier than I expected. "Another simulation."
"No simulation," Paul replied, his voice cracking with emotion. "It's me, Spark." The childhood nickname seemed to hit her. "I'm so sorry."
I watched as Elara's composure fractured, vulnerability bleeding through her carefully constructed defenses. The Algorithm responded to her emotional state, silver patterns beneath her skin pulsing erratically.
"Eight damn years, dad, " sh
