Chapter 21

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.

past the frosted windowpanes, blanketing the

slipping through the narrow cracks, sending an icy chill through the room.

my fingers, trying to

Erike moved first.

he stepped forward and shut the window,

just as the last breath of frigid air slipped through, his voice

it

I stilled.

second, the words didn’t

Then, realization dawned.

was echoing Pax’s words.“What are

was no teasing.

51.24

Chapter 21

Only quiet hesitation.

of his ears tinged red from

together, his usually

Expectation.

unspoken

I ever felt

Maybe.

spent countless nights side by side, working until exhaustion blurred the edges of reality.

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