Elena's POV
Sometimes, I wonder what it would feel like to live a quiet life.
No enemies. No shadows. No pretending to be fine when everything's burning beneath the surface.
Just peace.
But peace doesn't come for people like me.
I've learned that the hard way.
By the time I got back into the city, the sun had dipped beneath the skyline.
I didn't go home.
I went straight to work.
Because if I stopped moving, everything would collapse.
And I couldn't afford that.
Not now.
By the time I reached the office, everything was still in place.
Too in place.
No new notes. No strange packages. No shadows lurking in the corners.
Just silence.
So I worked.
Buried myself in numbers, reports, signatures. Anything that made the hours pass without emotion.
When my stomach finally growled, I gave in.
Lunch.
Across the street. Same place I used to go when I wanted to feel human for ten minutes.
The bell above the restaurant door chimed softly as I stepped in.
