AIDEN’S POV
The moment Luke left, the room seemed to exhale, the air growing heavy—like the stillness before a storm. I dragged a hand through my hair, my fingers trembling faintly, though I wouldn’t admit it to myself. My gaze fell to the desk—bare now, except for the faint imprint where the contract had been. It was done. Out of my hands. Soon, Elena would read it. Soon, she’d have no choice but to come back.
I should have felt something—triumph, relief, anything at all. This was what I’d worked for, what I’d bled for. Every late night, every calculated move, every sacrifice had led to this moment. But instead, there was only this hollow ache, this gnawing void in my chest that I couldn’t name. It clawed at me, relentless, like a shadow I couldn’t shake.
A soft knock at the door pulle
