Amara paused in her tracks and turned to ask, "Mr. Everly, is something wrong?"


    Finnian met her gaze, silent.


    The car was so quiet that their breathing seemed to fill the space. Cold moonlight spilled through the window, lighting up one side of Finnian''s face and making his eyes look even darker and more unfathomable.


    He still didn''t speak, but the intensity in his eyes was impossible to ignore. Amara felt scorched by that look and dropped her gaze.


    "Mr. Everly, you..."


    "It''s nothing. Go on, you can leave."


    Finnian let her go.


    It wasn''t the right time yet.


    Liliana had just lost her child, and things were still unresolved on that side. He couldn''t involve Amara, not now-it wouldn''t be fair to her.


    Amara found Finnian''s behavior strange, but since she was being dismissed, she breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and got out of the car to head home.


    Finnian felt exhausted, but not in his body-this was a weariness that ran deeper.<fn9b30> Th?s chapter is updated by F?ndNovel</fn9b30>


    He stayed in the car, not starting the engine, tilting his head back as he stared up at a lit window, counting the seconds-one, two, three...


    Atst, the light in the window flicked on. A figure moved into view, then abruptly yanked the curtains closed, blocking her from sight.


    What is she doing now? Is she about to take a shower? Finnian''s thoughts spiraled restlessly.


    His phone buzzed. He answered. "Dorian? What''s up?"


    “Liliana lost the baby?" Dorian got straight to the point, his information always up


    to date. "So what now, Finn? Are you finally going to be with Amara?"


    He knew Finnian hadn''t made an official move toward Amara because of unfinished business with Liliana.


    Now that the burden was gone, was Finnian free to pursue the woman he really wanted?


    Finnian didn''t give a direct answer, "The baby''s gone, but Liliana''s not doing well. I''ll check o


    berthese next few days. We''ll talk about everything elseter."  s


    "Fair enough," Dorian replied.


    Finnian hesitated, then asked, "How are things on your end?"


    He meant Dorian and Elysia. There was a brief silence before Dorian answered, "About the same as before."


    He sounded off, and Finnian could tell he wasn''t in the mood to talk. He didn''t push, just hung up.


    Finnian checked the time-a little


    after ten. Liliana probably wasn''t et


    asleep yet He started the car and drove back to the women''s ward at the hospital.  s


    When he walked into the room, Liliana was lying in bed, her eyes red and swollen,


    just as they''d been earlier-she must have been crying again.


    He paused, then asked softly, "How are you feeling? Is your stomach still hurting?"


    Liliana shook her head and pressed a hand to her chest. "My stomach''s mostly fine, but here—" She clutched at her heart. "—this hurts so much."


    She reached for Finnian''s sleeve, her eyes pleading. "Finn, the baby''s gone. Can we still be together?"


    Finnian gently pulled his arm free and said, "I''ll make sure you''re taken care of.” Take care of her? The words were a polite rejection.


    It felt like a knife twisting in Liliana''s chest. She bit her lip and fresh tears slid down her cheeks. "Finn, I love you, don''t want things to end like this. Can we try again? Can''t we have another child?"  s


    Finnian said nothing, his voice even as he replied, "You should rest now. I''ll go."


    He''d onlye to check in. Seeing that Liliana was physically all right, he left.


    His rejection was crystal clear. Liliana''s fingers dug into the curtain, her eyes dark with anguish.