Chapter 97

Theo's POV The next night, the soft glow of Claire's desk lamp cast gentle shadows across the research floor as I made my way through the darkened corridors. It had become my ritual—these late-night checks to ensure she wasn't pushing herself beyond her limits. Tonight, however, the usual sounds of her keyboard clicking or equipment humming were absent, replaced by an unusual silence that quickened my steps. I found her exactly as I'd feared I might. Claire had fallen asleep at her workstation, her head pillowed on a thick stack of research papers, blonde hair spilling like silk across the white pages. Her breathing was deep and even, the kind of exhausted sleep that spoke of someone who had finally reached the end of their reserves. One hand still clutched a pen, as if she'd been taking notes right up until consciousness abandoned her. My chest tightened at the sight. I approached slowly, not wanting to wake her from what was probably the first real rest she'd gotten in days. The pape