Sebastian Hale.

Once untouchable. Unshaken. A man who never let emotions cloud his judgment.

But tonight—he is not that man.

Tonight, he sits alone in the dim glow of his penthouse, a drink untouched beside him. His hands tremble as they hold something fragile—something more dangerous than any weapon.

A photograph.

Your photograph.

Captured in a moment he’d long forgotten. Or maybe, tried to forget.

You, smiling. Happy. His.

Once.

His breath shudders. His throat tightens.

And before he can stop it—before he can swallow it down, bury it deep where it belongs—it happens.

A single tear. Then another.

Sebastian Hale, the man who never broke—breaks.

Alone.

With nothing but your absence to keep him company.

His fingers tighten around his phone. Against all logic, against every wall he’s built, he dials.

Ringing.

Once. Twice.

No answer.

Because you’re not there to pick up anymore.