Chapter 78

The dawn painted the horizon with muted shades of pink and gold, casting a fragile peace over the city as Erica and Julian made their way back to his penthouse. The weight of the night’s events still clung to them, heavy and unshakeable, though Erica felt a strange lightness she hadn’t anticipated. Ophelia was gone—a fact she hadn’t fully absorbed yet, despite how hard she’d fought for this moment.

Julian closed the door behind them, his expression unreadable. “How are you feeling?” he asked quietly, his gaze searching her face.

Erica met his eyes, finding comfort in their familiar warmth. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Relieved, I guess. But it’s… complicated.”

They settled into the living room, the silence between them charged but comfortable. Julian poured them each a glass of water, his own thoughts seeming to weigh him down as much as hers. Finally, he spoke.

“She haunted both of us for so long,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “But there’s sti