Evan Leigh's POV
The car moved through the city like a quiet thought refusing to settle.
Kian sat beside me, unusually silent, his gaze fixed on the passing lights outside the window.
He had been like this more often lately.
Quiet in a way that wasn't peaceful.
Quiet in a way that carried weight.
I glanced at him once.
"Hospital first," I said.
He turned slightly. "Grandma?"
"Yes."
He didn't argue.
He never did when it came to her.
That was one of the few things about him that was uncomplicated.
The hospital was calm when we arrived.
Too calm, in the way expensive medical care always tried to disguise how fragile life really was.
Kian walked slightly ahead of me this time, quick steps carrying a kind of urgency he didn't voice.
His grandmother was already sitting up when we entered, wrapped in a soft blanket, looking far better than the first time I had arranged her transfer.
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"Kian," she said warmly.
Not Mr Silver.
Just Kian.
Exactly as it should be.
He smiled instantly, all tension melting off his shoulders like it had never existed.
"I'm here, Grandma."
I stayed near the doorway, watching.
This was not something I interrupted.
Not because I couldn't.
Because I chose not to.
Kian held her hand while she spoke, asking small questions, listening like the world outside the room didn't exist.
For a few minutes, he looked lighter.
Like the version of him that existed before responsibility sharpened every edge.
Eventually, I stepped forward.
"She's recovering well," I said.
His grandmother nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Mr Leigh. You've done so much."
I gave a small nod.
"It's nothing."
Kian glanced at me briefly.
Something unreadable passed through his expression.
Then it was gone.
We left the hospital just before night fully settled.
The drive back was quieter than before.
Kian finally spoke halfway through.
"She looks better," he said.
"She is better," I corrected.
A pause.
Then he added, softer, "Thank you."
I didn't look at him this time.
"You're welcome."
That seemed to end the conversation.
Or maybe he simply didn't have anything else to say.
At home, things returned to their usual rhythm.
Dinner.
Minimal conversation.
The kind of silence that had started to feel normal between us.
Kian ate less than usual.
I noticed.
He always ate less when his mind was elsewhere.
When he finished, he stood up quickly.
"I'll sleep early," he said.
I didn't stop him.
"Good."
He hesitated like he wanted to say something else.
Then turned and left.
The house settled into stillness.
Too still.
I remained in my study longer than planned.
Documents stacked neatly.
Screens glowing with half-finished analysis.
Time slipped without permission.
Eventually, I noticed the hour.
Late.
Later than it should have been.
Still, I didn't stop.
Because stopping meant slowing down.
And slowing down meant losing control.
And losing control meant giving someone like Diamant Reed the satisfaction of being right about everything.
I exhaled quietly and kept working.
Somewhere above, a floor creaked softly.
I paused.
Not loud enough to be a disturbance.
But enough to register.
A presence.
I continued typing.
Then stopped again.
A shadow near the doorframe.
I didn't turn immediately.
Instead, I spoke first.
"You're not very good at being sneaky."
Silence.
Then a shift.
Kian's voice, slightly caught off guard.
"How did you know I was here?"
I finally turned my chair.
He was standing just outside the study door.
Half-hidden.
Like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to exist in that space.
I stood.
Walked toward him without urgency.
Before he could react, I reached the door and pulled it open fully.
He barely had time to step back.
And then he collided straight into my chest.
Solid impact.
Unexpected.
His breath hitched slightly.
I looked down at him.
He was frozen for half a second too long.
Then stepped back quickly, clearing his throat.
There it was.
A faint flush rising across his cheeks.
Interesting.
"You hit things head-on even when you're trying to be quiet," I observed calmly.
Kian immediately looked away. "I didn't mean to come in. I just saw the light still on."
I tilted my head slightly.
"And decided to investigate?"
"I was just checking," he said quickly. "You're still working?"
I turned slightly back toward the desk behind me.
"If I don't," I said plainly, "the company will collapse. And Diamant will spend the rest of his life laughing at me."
That earned a small pause from him.
Almost like that was the most relatable thing he had heard all day.
He gave a short breath that might have been a laugh if it had more confidence behind it.
Then silence settled again.
He didn't leave immediately.
I noticed that too.
"Go back to sleep," I said finally.
My voice was quieter now.
Less sharp.
More final.
Kian hesitated for a second longer.
Then nodded once.
"Okay."
He turned.
Walked away.
And I returned to my desk.
But for some reason, the room felt slightly less empty than it had before he walked in.