Allison's POV
Time flies when you're trying to rebuild your life. It was the first autumn rain that finally pushed New York into its dramatic seasonal shift. One day I was wearing sleeveless blouses, the next I was digging through my closet for sweaters and scarves.
Through all this change, one thing remained constant—Lucian's absence. Not just from my life, but from Lily's. And that bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
"Mommy, when is Uncle Lucian coming to see my bug collection again?" Lily asked one evening as I tucked her in. "I found a really cool beetle yesterday."
I smoothed her hair back, buying time while I searched for an answer that wouldn't sound like the excuse it was. "He's very busy with work, sweetie."
"Too busy for bugs?" Her little face scrunched up i
