You hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.

You were simply passing through the dimly lit corridors of the base, heading toward the training hall, when you heard your name—soft, but unmistakable. Instinct halted your steps, your heart slamming against your ribcage like a desperate prisoner seeking escape.

Haider.

You could recognize his voice anywhere. That smooth, velvety cadence, laced with arrogance, amusement, and something always just a little too sharp.

“I still don’t get it,” Kenji’s voice cut through the stillness, laced with curiosity. “You and her—that was serious, right?”

You edged closer to the wall, pressing your back against the cool concrete. You shouldn’t be listening. You should walk away. But you stayed, unable to help yourself.

A pause. A beat of silence so heavy it felt suffocating.

And then, Haider chuckled—light, dismissive.

“Of course not,” he said. “I was playing with her. It meant nothing. A meaningless fling.”

Something inside you cracked.

You sucked in a sharp breath, your vision blurring at the edges. The words hit harder than they should have, like a blade buried deep beneath your ribs, twisting mercilessly.

A meaningless fling.

Had that been all you were to him? After everything? After the stolen nights, the whispered promises, the way he once looked at you like you were the only person in the world who could truly see him?

You felt like a fool.

Warner said something, low and disapproving, but you barely registered it. Your pulse roared in your ears, your throat tightening painfully.

You’d loved him. Maybe some part of you still did.

But now, you hated him more.

Blinking away the sting in your eyes, you straightened, steeling yourself.