Chapter 33. In the Shadow of the Past

The familiar voice of Kane echoed through the room, causing my heart to skip and then race, thundering a mile a minute as I spun towards the door. There he stood, looking exhausted and run down, a shadow of the man I remembered. My mind had replayed this moment a thousand times, yet none of my imagined reunions had prepared me for the torrent of raw emotions now overwhelming me.

My knees felt weak; my heart threatened to burst from my chest as he took a step forward. Instinctively, I retreated until my back pressed against the cold counter. The space between us charged with unspoken words and stifled emotions; I struggled internally, fighting the urge to close the distance and embrace him.

"What is SHE doing here?" Connie's shrill voice cut through the thick air, her tone dripping with disdain and snapping me back to reality. My mind raced, urging caution, but my heart hammered so loudly it drowned out any coherent thought I might have had.

"You a