ll silver towers rising out of the morning mist. Her heart beat faster in her chest. Five years ago, this city had swallowed her whole and

om beside her. He is the most inquisiti

iled tightly. "Yes, sweet

nning the cityscape with focused

estion sliced through her chest like it always did, but she tried

bout the bridges and highways they could see below. Niko pressed his nose against the

. "You three look like baby hawks h

"I'd catch the

e. "Ew, no. I'd design

are meant to be mice. No ca

est loosen a little. His voice always felt l

ago, she had knocked on his apartment door, broken and trembling, after her father threw her out. She rem

o take her with him. She had refused at first, too ashamed to accept.

her fall. He helped her through every wave of sickness, every scan, every silent crying night. He refused to let her gi

fications in finance, branding, and luxury management

ngs. When their HR manager first called her about the position, she had alm

f their high-security estates, assigned her a company vehicle, and tailored

evening in Florence, his voice quiet but fir

more than the cons. So she accepted it, clutching her

stood holding a placard with her name. "Miss Calderon?" he ask

id softly, guiding

nder parked outside. Kai slid in first, scan

riously, tapping at the seatbelt buckle

ra into her booster seat. "That soun

ind was busy counting backpacks, water bottles, a

front passenger seat. As they drove away from the airport, the city rushed p

a gated community. A large sign read:

rees. Thira felt her chest tighten with mixed emotions - fear, excitement, nostalgia.

whispering to each other suspiciously, t

looked up with brig

d loudly. "An

er seat, startled

ped a hand over his brother's mouth. Elara

Niko said with

ly, blinking her innocen

hiding from me? she wondered silently, turning back to the window as the car