Maeve’s POV…
From where I stood, pressed quietly against the windowpane, I watched the black car disappear into the distance. The engine’s hum faded into the night until there was nothing but silence and the faint rustle of leaves brushing against the greenhouse glass.
For a brief moment, I allowed myself to think Lucian might turn back — that he’d return and finish what we started.
That he’d explain the rest.
But instead, I saw Finn walking toward him, his expression sharp, his steps brisk. They exchanged words I couldn’t hear, though from the tension in Lucian’s shoulders, it didn’t look pleasant. Then, without another glance my way, they both turned and walked back into the mansion.
And just like that, the moment — the fragile bridge between confusion and understanding — was gone.
