As Kai's hand held hers firmly, grounding her in the present, Esme felt a sudden chill creep up her spine. It wasn't the warmth of his touch that startled her, but the sensation of something—or someone—hovering behind her. The cold, ghostly presence wrapped around her neck, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like familiar arms embracing her, but not with love or comfort. Her body froze, her heart pounding painfully in her chest as her vision blurred with tears she hadn't meant to shed.
In front of her, like a haunting apparition from her past, stood Cain. His smile, once playful and teasing, stretched across his face. "Why are you scared, Esme? You fool," he whispered, the mockery in his tone cutting through her like icy wind. His expression was the same as it had always been—mischievous, light-hearted—but now it felt wrong. The playfulness she once adored twisted into something far darker.
