STEFANO RUSSO'S (NERO'S) POV
The night was quiet—too quiet. The kind that made the sound of one's own breathing feel loud. I stood in the middle of Somchai's garden, staring up at the sky. The stars were scattered across the dark velvet like silver dust, and for a brief second, I tried counting them just to distract myself.
It didn't work.
The cool night air brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. My chest felt tight, my mind restless. I hadn't been able to sleep for days, and I knew exactly why.
"Still awake?"
The familiar voice behind me broke through the silence. I didn't need to turn to know who it was. Somchai. His calm presence carried through his words.
I didn't look back when I answered, my voice low. "Couldn't sleep."
A few seconds later, he came to stand beside me. For a while, neither of us spoke. The night stretched quietly between us, and then he said gently, "You're still thinking about Zoe, aren't you?"
