Eryx stood frozen outside the door. He didn't mean to eavesdrop. He was on his way to check on them, just a few steps, a passing thought but then he heard his name.
And in the end, he ended up hearing everything.
Lucas's voice hadn't sounded like that in years. Maybe never. Cracked, raw, exhausted. And it tore through him like glass.
"I was tired… I was angry… I was drowning."
"I thought I could handle it all… but I couldn't."
Each word had hit harder than the last. And for the first time, Eryx saw clearly, not the brother who always seemed in control, not the one everyone leaned on without hesitation, but someone who had been left behind.
Left behind by him.
He stepped inside slowly, his gaze fixed on Lucas. His expression was unreadable, perhaps somewhere between guilt and quiet resolve.
Regina moved quickly, her voice gentle, trying to ease the weight in the room. "Eryx, hmm… I think there's been a misunderstanding—"
