Celeste POV

“The hardest part about surviving isn’t healing, it’s pretending you’re fine when everyone keeps staring like you’re still broken.”

The elevator ride felt longer than usual.

The walls gleamed too bright, too sterile, too judgmental.

Every floor that passed whispered a memory I didn’t want back.

By the time I reached the 27th floor, I could already feel the weight of the stares waiting for me outside those doors.

Xavier’s firm hadn’t changed still marble, still ...