Momentster, Luke arrived. So did the police and Reba


    Gasoline soaked the floors inside and out. Vesperay on the couch, battered and bruised. Blood seeped from Dominic''s stab wound. And Tina thrashed like a madwoman, screaming incubrirutly.


    The scene stunned everyone into silence.


    Vespria recounted everything that had happened.


    Dominic handed the lighter over to the police, exining what he had witnessed when he aurived.


    Vedostunately, in his desperation, he had caught the lighter with his bare hands. tits tigerprints were on it now, making it useless as evidence. However, the kute on the thor would du.


    Once Calvert captured the masked man who had thed, there was nothing left for Tina to argue.


    "quu! you tried to burn Vera alive? You''repletely insane!" Heba spat luriously.


    "Like, it''s not what you think! I''m the real victim here! I was set up." Tina''s tears tell effortlessly, he spice trembling with practiced innocence.


    Lulu stood frozen, staring at the scene before him. His gaze fell on Vespa, covered in bruises and blood,


    ishqip, unbearable paliti tore through his chest. He felt like he was being suffocated.


    The world around him faded into silence, swallowed by the storm in his mind.


    The brutal consequences of his betrayal were nowid bare before him.


    And then, her words echoed back at lum. "You didn''t kill me, but because of you, I was almost murdered. Tell me, how is that any different from you being the one pter 122


    who did it?"


    there really was no going back


    The night outside was pitch ck, and his world had drained of all color, fading into endless shades of gray.


    "Vespera..."


    He wanted to step forward, but his body refused to move.


    She met his gaze, her eyes mid of emotion


    They stared at each other for a long time.


    But in the end, neither of them spoke.


    There was a kind of sonow where words were meaningless. They had walked together through the peak of summer, only to end up in the cold decay of winter.


    And this time, spring would nevere again.


    Vespera and Dominic were taken to the hospital.


    Tina was arrested.


    She tried iming that Dominic had broken her ribs and insisted on being taken to the hospital, too, but judging by the way she moved, the police weren''t buying


    it. Last time, she had hired someone to kill Vespera. This time, it was attempted murder.


    Aside from the drugs in her system, Vespera''s injuries were mostly surface wounds.


    Dominic had taken a stab at the waist from Tina. Though it hadn''t hit any vital organs, the wound was deep enough to need stitches. After getting bandaged up, he was told to rest for a few days and change the dressing regrly.


    Vespera felt grateful but also guilty.


    Night had fallen.


    They were in separate hospital rooms.


    In her ward, Luke sat by her bedside, keeping herpany. Outside, Reba had fallen asleep on the couch.


    From the moment they arrived at the hospital, Luke had barely spoken. He wasn''t the same man who once carried a storm in his temper. Now, he was quiet and subdued, drowning in his thoughts.


    Vespera had nothing to say to him either.


    She didn''t want to argue, didn''t even have the energy to hate him. Her emotions had faded into quiet indifference.


    "You should go home. Ba is here with me," she finally said, her first words to him all night. Hertone was calm, distant, as if speaking to a stranger.


    Lake lowered his gaze. His voice was hoarse. "Let me stay. There''s nothing for me to do at home. Someone should watch over your IV."


    She studied him for a few seconds, then closed her eyes without another word.


    Luke lifted his gaze, the soft light from the bedsidemp gently illuminating her face. He sat there, watching her all through the night. At some point, he rested his head near the curve of her neck. Sient tears slid down his face, soalding into her hair