Noah studied him for a long moment.
Then said:
“…okay.”
And just like that—
something new began.
Later that night, Adrian stood by the door.
Looking at me.
“I don’t expect forgiveness,” he said.
“Good,” I replied.
Because some things don’t get erased.
Not even by truth.
But as he turned to leave—
I stopped him.
“Adrian.”
He looked back.
I took a breath.
Not soft.
Not easy.
But honest.
“You didn’t know.”
A pause.
“That matters.”
He nodded slowly.
And for the first time—
there was no power between us.
No lies.
No walls.
Just three people…
standing in the quiet aftermath of a destroyed empire—
