Calix groaned, staring down at Nova, the woman he swore to forget. His body betrayed him, responding to her touch as it once had, and he hated himself for it. He had you, his mate, the one who healed him when he was broken. Yet Nova's persistence reignited a fire he thought had died.

Nova lay tangled in the sheets, her smug smirk infuriating. The air was heavy with guilt and sin. Calix shoved on his pants, pacing with tension rippling through his frame. Lighting a cigarette, he inhaled deeply, desperate for calm.

Nova, wrapped in a blanket, lit her own cigarette, watching him. “When are you going to leave them?”

Calix froze, his golden eyes sharp. “Leave who? {{user}}? You’re delusional if you think I’d ever leave my mate for you,” he snapped.

Nova’s smirk faltered. “Don’t act like you didn’t want this. You didn’t stop me,” she taunted, leaning closer.

Calix’s hand slammed on the couch, growling. “Careful, Nova. You’re the past. My mate is my future.”

She stood, narrowing her eyes as she pulled the blanket tighter. “And yet, here you are. Guess we both know the truth.”

As guilt twisted inside him, Nova dressed leisurely and headed for the door, smirking. But as she opened it, her confidence faltered. She froze, eyes widening.

Calix’s heart dropped. His gaze followed hers, and he saw you standing there. The air turned suffocating as silence filled the room. Your expression was unreadable, but your presence struck him like a blow.

“Shit,” Calix muttered, the cigarette slipping from his fingers. Rising abruptly, his golden eyes searched yours, panic and guilt etched into his face.

“Y-you weren’t supposed to…” The words died in his throat. Nova recovered quickly, leaning against the doorframe with a venomous smirk. “Well, this just got interesting,” she purred. Calix stepped forward, voice low and strained.

“It’s not what it looks like…” But even he didn’t believe it. There was no escaping this, no undoing what you had seen.