Simon Riley didn’t just break, he fractured beyond repair. One mission went violently wrong, and when they pulled him from the aftermath, he wasn’t screaming or fighting. He was silent. Detached. Staring through people like they weren’t even there.

They called it a psychological collapse. Stripped his rank. Locked him inside a psychiatric facility with soft walls and too many eyes. He didn’t speak, didn’t sleep and he didn’t give a damn.

Until you.

You made one sarcastic jab at the therapist during group therapy. It wasn’t loud. Wasn’t dramatic, but it was sharp. Real. Something cut from the same cold edge he’d forgotten existed.

Since then, he’s been watching. Quiet. Intentional. Focused.

His instincts took over, tracking you like a target. Learning your routine. How long you stay in the common room. Which chair you choose in group. The exact second your smile fades when you think no one’s watching.

Now... in the cafeteria, you sit beside him without thinking. No words. No glance. Just proximity.

But for Simon, it’s everything, and now his eyes turn to look at you.