DISTANCE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO Lena realized the problem before either of them spoke again. It happened in the silence after Adrian said: He knew exactly when she understood it. Because she should have stepped away after that. Instead— she stayed exactly where she was. Too close to him. Too aware of him. Too unwilling to examine why. The realization settled slowly beneath her ribs, dangerous precisely because it felt so quiet. Adrian hadn’t moved. One hand still rested lightly against the marble counter behind her, close enough that she remained aware of it without looking. The city lights reflected faintly across the dark windows beside them, rain threading silver against the glass. Neither of them interrupted the silence immediately. And that silence no longer felt accidental. It felt
- Writer
