Eloise downed the whiskey in one gulp.

The liquid burned down her throat like fire, but the pain in her chest burned even hotter. Throbbing. Relentless.

She rested the glass against her thigh, leaning back into the sofa as if she needed something solid to keep her soul from slipping out of her body. The silence lingered. But this time… this time, August was the first to speak.

"I've felt that kind of pain before."

His voice wasn't laced with pity. It was steady. Heavy. As if he were brus