Damien
For three full seconds, nobody moved.
The city stretched below the balcony.
The wind shifted.
A car horn sounded somewhere far beneath us.
And all I could think was:
Victor.
Not because I couldn’t believe it.
Because I could.
Now that Roman had said the name aloud, a dozen small details suddenly clicked into place.
The confidence.
The timing.
The way Victor always seemed to know exactly what questions to ask.
Exactly what information mattered.
Exactly where my attention was focused.
The signs had been there.
I just hadn’t seen them quickly enough.
Beside me, Lena went very still.
“Victor?” she repeated.
I nodded once.
The motion felt heavier than it should have.
Her hazel eyes searched my face.
“You’re sure?”
“No.”
The truth surprised her.
It surprised me to
