Raiyan didn’t give Elena another opening. “I have to go,” he said, already reaching for his coat. Then, to Elena—cold, final, polite enough to pass: “I’ll drop you off before I go to the office.” And the second it left his mouth, he knew he’d just made it worse. Elena’s smile widened like she’d won something. “Perfect,” she said softly, glancing toward the stairs like she wanted Zoya to hear it. “I needed a ride anyway.” She stood quickly and reached for his arm again, already reclaiming her place beside him as they moved toward the foyer. The silence in the car was heavy, broken only by the hum of the city outside. Elena leaned back in the passenger seat and watched the streets for a long moment, letting the quiet stretch until it started to itch. “You seem tense,” she said eventually, voice smooth, conversational. “You’ve changed, Raiyan. This marriage changed you.” Raiyan didn’t turn his head. His hands stayed on the steering wheel, controlled, eyes locked on the road. “E
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