#Chapter 181: Stolen Moments

DEREK The summit hall was finally quiet. The ceremonial chamber, once filled with the voices of delegates arguing over rogue threats in Europe and shifting alliances, now echoed with only the whisper of the wind through the old stone rafters. I stood by the arched window, watching snow swirl beneath the light of a half-moon, my arms braced against the carved windowsill. My temples ached. My spine felt like it had been strung too tight for too long. I’d given everything I had to those negotiations today. Every ounce of diplomacy, restraint, and strategic patience. I’d kept my voice even when I wanted to bare my teeth. I’d clenched my fists behind my back instead of slamming them onto the table. And still, through it all, she was the only thing I could think about. Elena. It was ridiculous, how much I craved her presence at the end of the day. Like she was a home I kept returning to, not a woman I was only just starting to win back. Just the thought of her made the tension b