Lucien POV

The room feels too small. Too quiet. Too cold.

She looks at me with those tired eyes, the ones that used to spark when she argued with me, when she laughed, when she glared at me with defiance. Now they’re dim, drained, like someone has pulled the sun out of them.

And still… still she tries to hide the pain behind a calm she doesn’t truly feel.

Her lips part slightly, and she exhales the words that crush us both.

“Let me go, Lucien.”

For a moment, I don’t ...