They perfected humanity. No one asked what it would cost.
Have you ever felt watched? Has judgment ever pierced your spine? Throat tight, fists clenched?
So has Kian. The control. Run, run, but you can't shake it off.
Calm down. Walk slowly. Whisper, behave. Composed, polite. Inhale, count to five. Uniform, compliant. Exhale. PERFECT.
Kian and Lia yearn for each other from afar. A consuming, hindered bond, but impossible to extinguish.
Multi-POV. Guilt, helplessness, vengeance, hope. The characters' voices and fragilities shatter in a relentless countdown toward a truth no one is ready for.
Look closely: paradise is already bleeding.