The afternoon light poured through the tall glass windows of the west wing as Luke made his way down the corridor. The soft echo of his boots followed him, muted by the thick carpet that lined the floors. The estate was quieter than usual, too quiet for a house that had recently become a center of operations again.
He had come without announcing his visit, driven by something he couldn’t quite name, an unease that had been sitting heavy in his chest since morning.
Lila.
He hadn’t seen her properly since the night they’d talked about their daughter, about everything that had been hidden between them for years. He told himself he was just checking in. But part of him knew it wasn’t just that.
When he reached her quarters, he raised his hand to knock. The door wasn’t fully closed, just sl
