"Raphael."
The voice barely registered at first, blending into the hum of the classroom. Head down, arms folded over the desk, Raphael hadn’t planned on paying attention—until he caught movement near the door. His friend nudged his shoulder.
"Hey," the student hissed. "Look up."
With an annoyed grunt, Raphael lifted his head, eyes landing on the woman standing at the front of the room next to the head teacher. The moment recognition clicked, his expression darkened.
"You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered, sitting up straighter.
His friend’s gaze flickered between him and the new arrival. "Isn’t that the girl from earlier?"
Raphael didn’t answer. His jaw clenched as he stared at her—Elleri Sutherland. The woman who had stepped into a situation where she wasn’t needed, who had defi
