Chapter 75

Alex’s POV

The office was quiet long after the sun had set, the kind of quiet that pressed against your ears and made even the hum of the air conditioner sound loud.

Everyone had gone home hours ago, but I stayed behind to do some work but now I just sat down, staring at the city lights through the glass.

The city glittered in its usual arrogance, a thousand windows lit like stars, but tonight it all felt quiet.

It was muted because of her.

Emily.

I dragged a hand over my face and leaned back in the leather chair, the weight of her voice still echoing in my head. “Forgiveness isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a process.”

She had said it with that quiet, resolute strength I’d always admired but never admitted to myself.

That strength was one of the first things that had caught my attention about her, back before everything spiraled, back before I let her down in ways I shouldn’t have.

I apologized and I had meant it but the thin