Lucian´s POV
Elise said nothing.
But I saw the doubt.
It was fleeting—just a flicker, a shadow crossing her eyes, a single moment where her armor cracked ever so slightly. But for me, it was enough.
I didn’t step closer. Not yet. I knew that if I pushed too hard, she would shut down again. Instead, I exhaled slowly and lowered my gaze, as if it hurt too much to hold her eyes. As if the words I was about to say were tearing me apart from the inside.
"I never wanted it to end like this."
Elise clenched her jaw. Her fists remained tight, as if she was forcing herself to stay firm, but her breathing was no longer steady.
"Don't speak." Her voice was sharp as ice. "I don’t want to hear you."
"But you need to." I lifted my gaze and met hers. "Because you feel it too."
I sensed Freidi
