Night had already settled by the time Leo reached the hotel. The parking area was dim, washed in soft yellow lights that reflected faintly off the damp pavement. Leo parked gently, his hands lingering on the steering wheel long after the engine went quiet. For a moment, he just sat there, staring ahead, thoughts crowding his chest faster than his breathing could keep up.
What if I’m already too late?
He stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance, his pace steady but his mind restless. Eleria’s words, Amelia’s silence, and the terrifying space he’d felt growing where closeness used to live—it all weighed on him. Inside the hotel, the air was calm. Too calm.
At the same moment, Amelia’s shift ended. She stepped out from the club corridor, her jacket pulled tight around her
