Chapter 57

• Hades’s Pov
• My hand rested on the doorknob, the cold metal beneath my fingers grounding me in the moment. I stood there, just outside the hospital room where Anita lay, recovering from her injuries. Inside, Zach’s voice was calm but firm as he encouraged her to rest, his tone filled with genuine concern. And hers—her voice had been steady, determined, even as she brushed off the severity of her injuries. It was typical Anita, always pushing forward no matter the cost to herself.
• I should’ve barged in. Every instinct I had told me to claim my place at her side, to remind her that no matter what had happened between us, I was still the one who could protect her. But as I stood there, something gnawed at me—a thought that had been creeping up on me ever since I overheard their conversation.