Lyra POV
The cold night air stung my face as I stumbled down the dimly lit street. My chest felt tight, each breath dragging painfully through my lungs as I struggled to hold back the tears threatening to spill over again. My heart was a tangled mess, torn between the man I couldn’t let go of and the choices I’d made to keep him safe.
Before I knew it, I was standing in front of Ella’s door. My fists trembled as I knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet. It took only a moment before the door opened, and Ella stood there, her expression shifting from surprise to concern in an instant.
“Lyra,” she gasped, pulling me inside. “What happened to you? Why are you crying?” Her voice was frantic, her hands gripping my arms as if to steady me.
I shook my head, unable to meet her gaze. “El
