[LINA]
I first noticed something was wrong with Cole when his usual air of cold arrogance turned into something else—something distant, almost vacant.
My brother was never the warmest person, but at least he was present. Sharp. Calculating. But now? Now, he was just . . . gone.
At first, I thought it was just him being his usual broody self. Cole had never been one to smile or make small talk, and honestly, that was fine by me. But then the changes became impossible to ignore. He was always in a daze, like his body was here, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. His silver-gray eyes, usually sharp like a blade, looked dull. Hollow.
The first time I asked him about Eve, he didn't answer. He just pressed his lips together, tight as a locked vault, and walked off without a word.
The second time, I caught him alone in the lounge, staring blankly at the untouched glass of whiskey in front of him. Cole never left a drink unfinished.
