Xu Kai froze.
The warmth of her skin, the softness of her voice, the lingering sweetness of her kiss—all of it faded into the background, drowned out by the weight of the name that had slipped from her lips.
Aeris.
He hadn't heard that name in two long years.
And certainly not from her.
His heart stilled in his chest, as if caught mid-beat. His hand, which had been tracing gentle circles along her waist, dropped to his side. A strange tightness seized his lungs. Something heavy clawed at his throat. His eyes, dark and unreadable, bore into hers.
"Liora…" he whispered, but it came out like a plea.
The moment shattered around them, the intimacy now replaced by tension that prickled along his skin. She looked up, startled, confused by the sudden change in him.
His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "Do you remember… your past memories?"
