#Chapter 179: A New Promise

Aria Lunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self. The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every surface, like dried blood against the drywall. The cubicles were in ruins, the stairs leading to Darren’s office that overlooked the main area not even usable anymore after all the destruction. I stopped short as we approached the front door, my feet unwilling to move further. Darren paused beside me, his hand brushing mine before lacing our fingers together. His grip was warm, but I could sense his tension through our bond. This place was more than just an office. It was our home, too. I didn’t even want to know what the penthouse upstairs looked like. “It’s worse than I remembered,” I said, my throat raw as I took in the wreckage. The last time we’d been here, d