Chapter 197

For a fleeting moment, something cold and sharp flickered through Lyra’s eyes. It was quick, so quick that anyone else might have missed it. But just as quickly, it disappeared. Her expression softened again, a familiar, practiced smile returning to her lips as if nothing unpleasant had ever crossed her mind. “You used to like holding me,” she said lightly, her tone almost teasing, as though she were reminiscing about something sweet and harmless. “And now you act like some distant official who won’t even let anyone get close.” Damon didn’t respond. He had already stepped into the hospital lobby, the bright overhead lights washing everything in a sterile glow. The polished floors reflected faint silhouettes, stretching the space into something colder, quieter. Yet her words lingered. They followed him. Unwelcome. Uninvited. And then, without warning, a memory surfaced. That day. Lyra had been hospitalized with a fracture. He had gone to see her. And then Sloane had walked in. Damon’s s