⚠️⚠️ Caution Warning ⚠️⚠️
This chapter contains multiple depictions of, including but not limited to:
[Emotional distress, panic-attack aftermath, online harassment, discussions of trauma, mentions of past violence (stabbing incident), interpersonal tension, and references to mental-health struggles.]
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
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Lucian didn't go far. He couldn't.
His pulse was still jagged from everything he'd read on Luca's phone, from what he remembered from all those years ago. He crossed through his room to the balcony doors, sliding them open, and stepped into the cool night air.
In the distance, he watched the glow of the city lights. The silence felt too loud. He braced his hands on the railing, dipping his head as he took a deep breath with his eyes closed.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it. He didn't have the patience to check it, not yet.
