Julian didn’t speak right away. He simply stood there beside Kya, his presence steady and unyielding, as if he were anchoring her to the moment. The café’s soft hum returned gradually, though the tension between them remained thick, humming like a live wire.
Kya’s pulse was still uneven, her breath shallow from the confrontation with Sebastian. She hadn’t expected to see him—hadn’t expected to feel that old, familiar sting of humiliation. And she certainly hadn’t expected Julian to appear behind her like a shadow stepping into the light.
She didn’t know what to make of it.
Julian gestured toward a quieter corner of the café. “Let’s sit.”
His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it—something controlled, something simmering. Kya followed him, her steps slow, her mind racing. W
