The Price of Deception

er Th

ered nearby, a brooding figure who watched her work with an intensity that both encouraged and unsettled her. The linge

r a long day, Lucas approached her, holding two glasse

her a glass, his voice a low murmur that sent

pted the offering. "Thank you. This proj

is gaze. "You remind me of someone I

them?" Eva asked

a hard lesson:

va's heart like a stone. She felt a wave of empathy for this

she couldn't quite shake. Meanwhile, Lucas wrestled with his internal turmoil; the moments of connection he shared with Eva chipped away at the cold armor he had built, making it increasingly difficult to