After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 81

Pax Brown came as suddenly as he left.

One moment, he was here-his presence unsettling the entire lab, turning heads, lowering voices into hushed whispers.

The next, he was gone.

No explanations. No drawn-out goodbyes.

The others didn't understand.

I let out a slow breath, feeling the weight lift from my chest.

Beside me, Erike lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes trembling ever so slightly.

But his expression remained unreadable.

"So that's him?" he asked, his voice quiet. "The ex-boyfriend who pretended to be poor?"

I nodded.

Outside, winter had settled in fully.

Thick snowflakes drifted past the frosted windowpanes, blanketing the city in silver and white.

through the narrow cracks, sending an icy

trying to shake off the

Erike moved first.

forward and shut the window,

of frigid air slipped through, his voice

pretend... that

I stilled.

second, the

Then, realization dawned.

words."What are you

was

Only quiet hesitation.

tips of his ears tinged

his usually steady

Expectation.

A quiet, unspoken hope.

ever felt

Maybe.

countless nights side by

of proximity were just that—a passing