Realisation

Her heart clenched painfully, and for a split second, her breath caught in her throat.

Childhood friends.

They weren't.

Not anymore.

Not in the way that mattered.

The Cassian she had known, the boy she had once trusted, was no longer the same person.

He was gone.

And even if he wasn't…

Even if a part of him still existed beneath all the manipulation, beneath all the forced perfection and control—

He wouldn't remember.

He couldn't.

Adeline forced down the lump in her throat, keeping her expression neutral as she took his hand and climbed onto the horse.

It was fine.

This was fine.

She wasn't going to chase after him like the original Adeline.

She wasn't going to beg for his love.

She had bigger things to worry about.

So as the horse carried them forward, Adeline kept her silence.

And Cassian…

Cassian never let go of the reins.

But for the briefest moment—