Somewhere in the city, Liam lingered at a street corner with his hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the address lit up on his phone.

Zayden’s place.

Where Ayla was.

Where he had left her feeling heartbroken and alone.

His thumb sat on the screen, stuck with doubt. One part of him wanted to turn around and vanish into the shadows where he was comfortable. The other part, the part that still remembered her laugh and how it felt to be close to her, knew he couldn’t keep running.

"You owe her the truth," Azalea’s voice played in his head. "And give yourself a shot at happiness."

But did he even deserve happiness after everything he had done?

He thought about the note he left: cold, distant, and cowardly.

"I’m sorry. I have to go. Please don’t come looking for me."

Five years of special forces training, and he couldn’t even confront the woman he loved.

"Pathetic," he muttered under his breath.

A couple walked by, holding hands and laughing at some inside joke. The woman leaned into her guy’s shoulder, all relaxed and happy.

Just like Ayla used to lean into him.

Liam felt a tightness in his chest.

I have to face her eventually. Why not today?

The decision hit him like a chill.

He couldn’t change the past, but he could at least give her the answers she deserved. Provide her with some closure.

Even if she ended up hating him for it.

He pulled out his phone and called for a cab.

*****

In Zayden’s mansion, the lounge was alive with warmth.

The afternoon sun poured in through the tall windows, filling the stylish lounge with a cozy, golden glow.

The vibe was lighter than it had been in days, with laughter mixing in with the chill conversations.

Azalea had plopped down next to Ayla on the comfy couch, her warmth making the younger girl feel more at ease.

Aylin was close to Zayden on the opposite couch, his arm casually draped over her shoulders.

Leo and Reyes were settled in matching armchairs. Leo was his usual animated self, and Reyes was staying cool and calm.

"—and that’s when Zayden punched the headmaster’s kid," Azalea said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Right in the middle of the cafeteria. I honestly thought Mom was going to lose it!"

Ayla’s eyes got wide. "Wait, what? Why?"

Azalea grinned. "Because the jerk thought it would be funny to pull my hair and call me ’princess’ all condescendingly. Zayden didn’t even skip a beat, he just walked right up and broke his nose."

"He totally deserved it," Zayden said without a hint of regret.

"You were twelve!" Azalea laughed. "Twelve years old and already acting like a mob boss."

Leo nearly spat out his drink. "Wait, twelve? You’ve been like this since you were twelve?"

"Protective instincts kick in early," Reyes chimed in dryly.

Aylin looked up at Zayden, amused. "You really broke a kid’s nose for teasing your sister?"

"It wasn’t teasing," Zayden corrected. "It was flat-out disrespectful. And yeah, I did."

Azalea turned to Aylin, shaking her head as if she was exasperated. "He was ridiculously protective over me, and I’m his sister. One time, during a school trip in high school, some kid tried to hold my hand. Just hold my hand! Zayden ended up breaking the kid’s finger."

"He was fourteen and had no business touching you," Zayden said flatly.

"He asked me to be his study partner!" Azalea protested, still laughing.

Aylin bit her lip, trying not to smile. "You broke someone’s finger over a study group?"

"Standards," Zayden replied, dead serious.

Leo was laughing so hard it was contagious. "Oh man, this clears up so much!"

Azalea turned to Aylin, her expression playfully sympathetic. "Look at what I had to deal with. He’s this possessive over me, his sister. I can’t even imagine how much crazier he is about you."

Before Aylin could say anything, Zayden leaned in close, his lips brushing against her shoulder as he whispered in her ear, just loud enough for her to hear, "You really don’t know, hacker girl. Not one bit."

Aylin’s cheeks turned bright red.

"Zayden!" she said, giving his chest a playful shove, but she was smiling.

The whole room burst into laughter, and even Reyes cracked a rare smile.

Ayla found herself genuinely smiling for the first time since Liam left.

The warmth, the teasing, and the easy affection reminded her of what family really felt like.

Just then, the door swung open.

Everyone turned.

Liam stood in the doorway, looking like he’d aged ten years overnight.

His clothes were wrinkled, his hair was a mess, and his eyes, those familiar brown eyes Ayla had looked into so many times, were filled with worry.

The laughter stopped right away.

Ayla’s breath hitched, and she instinctively covered her mouth with her hand.

Zayden was up on his feet in a flash, switching from protective boyfriend to fierce fighter.

He crossed the room in three quick strides and grabbed Liam by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

"You’ve got some nerve being here," Zayden growled, his voice low and threatening.

"Zayden!" Aylin shouted, rushing toward them.

But Zayden didn’t let go; his grip was tight on Liam’s shirt. "You left her. You hurt her. And now you just stroll back in as if nothing happened?"

Liam didn’t fight back. "I get it. I’m really sorry. I—" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Sorry?" Zayden’s grip tightened. "You think saying ’sorry’ makes everything better?"

"Zayden, stop!" Aylin said, pulling at his arm to try to calm him down. "You don’t know—"

"What is there to know?" Zayden shot back, his steel-blue eyes blazing. "He abandoned your sister!"

"There’s more to it!" Aylin argued, her voice rising. "I found something. I should have told you sooner, but—"

Zayden whipped his head toward her, and for a moment, real hurt flashed across his face. "You found something and didn’t tell me?"

Aylin flinched a bit. "I was going to; I just, I needed to be sure first, "

Zayden suddenly let go of Liam, causing him to stumble a little.

But Zayden was now completely focused on Aylin, his face a mix of anger and betrayal.