Leon’s smile faltered.
For a moment, he had no idea how to answer.
Felicia had been talking so happily about visiting the pizzeria and finally trying the cod pizza Ben had promised her.
She couldn’t possibly know what had happened.
But hearing Ben mentioned so casually still brought everything rushing back.
The van.
The shattered glass.
Blood.
Ben’s final look.
Live.
Leon swallowed.
Across from him, Felicia finally noticed his silence.
Her cheerful expression faded.
Something was wrong.
It was obvious from Leon’s face.
She stopped talking.
Leon took a moment to collect himself before speaking.
His throat felt dry.
“I was in an accident a few days ago.” Felicia’s eyes widened.
Leon forced the next words out quietly.
“Ben didn’t make it.” Felicia froze.
For a second, her mind went completely blank.
Then everything she’d just said replayed in her head.
How’s Grandpa York?
He promised me cod pizza.
I’m definitely going to make him cook it for me.
Her stomach dropped.
Oh my God.
What had she just done?
Felicia looked at Leon’s expression and desperately wished she could rewind the last thirty seconds.
Leon saw the horror spreading across her face.
He knew exactly what she was thinking.
So he pushed his grief down and gave her a faint smile.
“Felicia, it’s okay.” She stared at him.
“You didn’t know.” That only made her feel worse.
“Leon, I’m so sorry.” The words came out in a rush.
“I had no idea.
I can’t believe I just—” She stopped, struggling to find something useful to say.
“I shouldn’t have brought him up.” Her voice softened.
“Ben, he…
I…” Felicia knew what it was like to lose someone close.
She’d gone through that pain herself when she’d lost her father, and it had taken her a long time to come to terms with it.
That made recognizing the grief in Leon’s eyes painfully easy.
Leon shook his head.
“This isn’t your fault.” Felicia looked down.
“You couldn’t have known what happened.” He leaned forward slightly.
“So don’t blame yourself.” Felicia looked back at him.
Leon managed a warmer smile.
“Actually, I should thank you.” “For what?” “For remembering him.” Felicia’s expression tightened.
Leon continued gently.
“Ben would’ve been happy to know you were still thinking about that pizza.” That earned the smallest change in her expression.
“The recipe’s still at the shop.” Felicia blinked.
Leon smiled.
“If you still want to try it, I can make it for you.” “You would?” “Sure.” Then Leon’s smile became a little more genuine.
“But I’m warning you now.” Felicia waited.
“Ben invented that one himself.” “Oh.” “Exactly.” Leon shook his head.
“When he came up with a recipe without me supervising, the results could be…
unpredictable.” Felicia understood immediately.
Despite everything, a small smile tugged at her lips.
Leon continued.
“So prepare yourself.” Felicia reached across the table.
Her hands closed gently around Leon’s.
“Then I’ll eat all of it.” Leon looked down at their hands.
Her fingers were warm.
For the first time in days, something inside his chest loosened slightly.
This world wasn’t empty.
Not completely.
He had built a life here.
He had friends.
People who cared whether he disappeared.
When Ben died, Leon had been ready to follow him.
At the time, grief had made everything else seem meaningless.
Then Venom had appeared.
And now, slowly, Leon was beginning to recognize that Ben hadn’t been the only connection tying him to this life.
Felicia squeezed his hand lightly.
She wanted to say more.
Something that would remind Leon he wasn’t alone.
Something that might actually help.
Before she could find the words— Bzzzt.
Leon froze.
A faint vibration came from his sleeve.
Heat followed.
His eyes sharpened.
The alert device.
The surveillance program had found something.
Leon immediately stood.
Felicia blinked in surprise.
“Leon?” “Sorry.” He started gathering his things.
“I just remembered something urgent I need to take care of.” Felicia stared.
The sudden shift was so abrupt she barely had time to process it.
“Oh.” Leon shoved his book into his bag.
“I’m really sorry.” Felicia quickly waved a hand.
“No, no.
It’s fine.” She was still trying to catch up.
A few seconds ago they’d been talking about Ben.
Now Leon looked like he needed to leave immediately.
He noticed the confusion in her eyes.
“Thank you for talking with me.” Felicia looked up.
Leon gave her a sincere smile.
“I’ve had a rough few days.” His expression softened.
“But I do feel better now.” That mattered.
More than he expected.
“I’ll see you again soon.” Before Felicia could answer, Leon grabbed his things and headed for the door.
He pushed it open, then turned back long enough to wave.
“Bye, Felicia.” Then he hurried away.
Felicia remained seated.
She watched through the café window as Leon disappeared down the street.
“What did he suddenly remember?” Concern crept into her expression.
Then an even worse thought arrived.
Her stomach tightened.
Was it because of me?
She stared at the direction he’d gone.
Did talking about Ben upset him so badly that he wanted to leave?
But Leon had thanked her.
He’d said the conversation helped.
Felicia frowned.
What if he only said that because he didn’t want me to feel guilty?
Her imagination immediately took over.
Maybe he actually couldn’t stand talking to me anymore.
Maybe that whole “urgent thing” was just an excuse.
Felicia covered her face with both hands.
“Oh, come on…” She groaned.
Then dropped forward until her forehead nearly touched the table.
Her blonde hair fell around her face.
A few nearby customers glanced over.
The café employee who had been serving their table also looked in her direction.
The scene probably appeared much more dramatic than it actually was.
A beautiful blonde woman had been sitting with a handsome young man.
They’d been talking seriously.
She’d held his hands.
Then he’d abruptly stood, grabbed his belongings, and rushed out.
Now she was collapsed over the table looking miserable.
To anyone watching, the explanation seemed obvious.
Relationship trouble.
Probably terrible relationship trouble.
The employee hesitated as if considering whether she should walk over and offer comfort.
Then she thought better of interfering.
Still, she silently wished Felicia luck.
Felicia had no idea that half the café was inventing an entire breakup story around her.
Her thoughts were much too busy creating their own problems.
She felt guilty because she’d accidentally reopened Leon’s grief.
She felt anxious because he’d suddenly left.
Even though Leon had clearly told her he’d remembered something urgent, her mind kept circling back to the same possibility.
What if I hurt him?
Once the thought took hold, it became difficult to stop.
Felicia stayed slumped over the table for several minutes.
Eventually, she forced herself upright.
Her eyes fell on Leon’s half-finished coffee across from her.
She sighed.
He said he wasn’t upset with me.
She knew that.
Intellectually.
But guilt didn’t always care about logic.
She’d seen the sadness in Leon’s eyes.
She knew that look.
She’d worn it herself once.
Felicia made a decision.
I’m still going to apologize properly.
Even if Leon didn’t blame her.
Even if he’d meant every word he’d said.
The last few days must have been awful for him.
The least she could do was make sure he knew he didn’t have to go through them alone.
Leon, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea Felicia was mentally torturing herself over his sudden departure.
His attention was fixed on one thing.
Getting home.
Fast.
The device sewn into his sleeve had activated.
That meant the surveillance system had detected someone whose face matched Rick Frey’s closely enough to trigger an alert.
It could be another false positive.
It might be nothing.
But it could also be Rick himself.
And considering the program had only been running for a short time, Leon couldn’t believe his luck.
He quickened his pace.
For the first time since Ben’s death, the trail might finally be moving again.
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