eep in the back seat, his head tilted to one side, his small mouth parted in exhaustion. The day h

g wheel. Her own thoughts were a storm

Blac

ther with more money than anyone should possess. But today proved otherwise. He had

as dan

ome into their lives. He didn't know heartbreak, ab

h Jason. Not when the truth about E

son. His trust was innocent, unscarred. And she would pr

walked through the farm. The boy's laughter still echoed in his head, light and unfiltered. And

ke anyone he

wealth, his name, his influence. But Aira... she kept resis

ewels against the dark. A glass of scotch rested untouched on his desk. Normally, this was the hour he reviewed co

t

r and Liro-as though they already belonged in his world. The idea u

d was not a man wh

eggs filled their small apartment, and she tried to distract herself by focu

ind refus

low and steady: Life is always compl

he memory. That was exactly what terrifie

he wandered into the kitchen, his

d a smile, setting a plate befo

into the scrambled eggs with enthusia

e'll see," she

Jason

on's lips. "Jason has a very busy life, sweetheart. W

o insisted. "He laughe

"I know," she whispere

n a meeting about supply chain projections, but his

," Charles murmured discr

al shrug. "Just... cons

n eyebrow. "Pers

twitched. Charles had been with him for years-lon

wer, but he didn

at his bedside, brushing his hair from his forehead. He was still mumbl

hest

she found her phone buzzing on the c

reamed to ignore it, to build the distance she desperate

Her voice

e was smooth, yet not imperso

ainst the armrest. "He did. He

a warmth in his voice th

" she blurted before she lost her

firm but calm. "What exactly are you afraid of, Aira

ght. "You don'

upted softly. "Because I'm not walki

e to what she wanted to hear, too close to t

e whispered. "Don't

ings are worth the fight,

he ended the call, leaving

chest, torn between fear an

was a closed door. But Jason Blackwood had a

fied her more