The soft ticking of the wall clock echoed faintly in the quiet staff room, blending with the faint rustle of papers and distant footsteps from the library outside. Axel sat slumped on the worn leather chair, his elbows resting on his knees while his fingers tangled through his disheveled hair. His brow furrowed deeply, a heavy sigh escaping from his lips as he rubbed his temples.
Raelynn's face kept flashing in his mind—pale, fragile, yet still managing to smile despite everything she had been through. The image of Elion standing beside her in the hospital room twisted something inside him, a dull ache that refused to leave. The knowledge that she was pregnant... it gnawed at him relentlessly.
"Damn it..." he muttered under his breath, closing his eyes tightly. Why was this bothering him so much? He should be happy for her... right?
A sudden, crazy thought flickered in his mind—one he quickly shoved away. Maybe... just maybe... Elion was the fa—
