Rain drizzled against the penthouse windows, a rhythmic patter that echoed the unraveling storm inside Emma's mind. The city below buzzed with life, its lights flickering like false promises. Jack stood at the edge of the room, staring out with a posture too stiff to be relaxed. The distance between them was no longer measured in feet, but in everything unspoken since they’d returned to the real world.

Emma ran her fingers through her hair, still damp from the shower. The warm water had ...