James POV

I watch Noah stride toward the arena with that same arrogant certainty he's always carried, and familiar irritation rises in my chest—not hot anger but something colder, more resigned.

He hasn't changed, not really, not in any way that matters beyond surface adjustments, and the fundamental problem remains: Noah Carter operates entirely from self-centeredness, making every decision based on what he wants, whether that's destroying Zoe out of ...