It was late. The office was a tomb of shadows and silence, lit only by the cool glow of Elara’s monitor. Leo stood in her doorway, having given up on sleep, drawn back to the one place that felt both like a battlefield and a sanctuary.He’d shown her his ghost on the terrace. Now, in the quiet aftermath, the air between them was different. Thinner. As if the next honest word could tear it completely.“You should go home,” Elara said softly, not looking up from her screen. “It’s after midnight.”“I know,” he replied, his voice rough. He didn’t move.The silence