Elena's POV
"Oh, my dear Eli… you've been through a lot," Callum said softly.
"I know, right?" I replied with a tired smile.
He gave me a look—half teasing, half concerned. "You know the right people you should be taking this to. Julian. Sebastian. I'm just a medical doctor who somehow finds his way into people's hearts… lungs… sometimes their spines," he added with a crooked grin.
I chuckled, nudging his arm. "I know I'm bothering you a lot."
"You're not."
"You're my best friend," I continued. "I just… feel like you understand me more. Like I don't have to pretend around you."
Callum didn't say anything at first. He just moved a little closer, the air shifting gently between us. His warmth surrounded me—steady, unspoken.
And when I looked up, his eyes were already on me.
There was something in them. Not pity. Not pressure.
Just affection.
Unfiltered. Quiet. Fierce.
