Leila’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at the figure before her. In the dim light, the man’s face seemed to materialize from the shadows, each familiar feature a haunting reminder of a life she’d tried to forget. It was Ian—her former mentor, the one who had disappeared from her life without a trace years ago.
“What… what are you doing here?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but the shock and confusion laced through each word were unmistakable.
Ian held up his hands, a wary look in his eyes. “Leila, please. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to help.”
Martin and Eric stepped in front of her, their postures defensive as they sized up the unexpected guest. Martin’s gaze was ice-cold. “Help? You’ve got some nerve showing up here after all these years. You left us to fend for ours
