board as she pieced together the proposal presentation. Her team had scattered for the

sses and stared hard at the spreadsheet, highlighting data points, refining details.

e kept floatin

the window, staring down at the glittering city below. Ten years had

His voice, his eyes, his presence-it all pulled

isn't about the past. I'm here f

an'

't meant to linger, but he found himself drawn to the quiet figure still worki

He had no right to complicate her life again. Lexi was waitin

eet staye

he wondered. Why now, when I

ly'

een. She flinched when a soft knock sounded at

ed, his tone light, but

d. "I could as

ly behind him. The tension in the room thi

ow you were settli

eyes. "Don't pret

looked genuinel

g up a hand. "I need to finish t

, then stopped. His hand

mined person I knew," he murmur

ressed her lips together, forci

Ethan. Le

at, neither o

t a breath and turned

dn't a

ked softly sh

V (later t

ead on her arms. She squeezed her eyes shut

h for this. That she could walk back

word, every memory w

thought desperately. I can'

r vision as the first tears s