|| Lilac’s POV ||

As Alaric’s car disappeared down the road, I felt a hollow ache settle deep in my chest. It was as if a part of me had been ripped away, leaving behind an emptiness that I couldn’t shake. The sound of the engine faded, replaced by the distant hum of the city, but the silence in my heart was deafening. I stood there for a moment, my arms wrapped around myself, trying to hold onto the warmth of his presence that still lingered in the air. But it was no use. The ...