The moment Tristan re-entered the room, Nova rushed up to him, her voice trembling with urgency. "Tristan, I need to—"

But Tristan didn't let her finish. He gently interrupted, grabbing her jacket and draping it over her shoulders before leading her out of the office.

"Honey, we'll talk about this later, okay? But first, put on your jacket. It's already getting chilly, and I don't want you catching a cold."

Autumn had arrived, and the evening air was cooler. Still in a ...