Chapter 33: The Crossed Lines
Eira kept her head down as she walked, knowing she was being followed.
The click of a camera was like a mosquito that wouldn't stop buzzing.
She didn't turn or slow down, just pulled her coat tighter and kept moving, clicking her heels against the ground.
Paparazzi tailed her like she was prey, matching her footsteps, close enough to feel like an invasion.
A familiar car came into view near the curb.
Henry was behind the wheel, waiting.
The sight of him made her heart quicken, but not out of relief.
She knew exactly why he was here.
She reached the car, opened the door without a word, and slipped inside.
He didn't greet her.
Didn't smile or ask how she was.
His eyes were cold, assessing her with the kind of detachment that made her feel more like a transaction than a person.
As the door shut behind her, the noise of the street vanished, replaced by a tense silence.
