Chapter 49

• The playground was a cacophony of laughter and chatter, the usual hum of a busy day. Leo had come to Lyons College on a business trip, but he found himself drawn to the playground section, watching the kids play. It was a familiar scene, one that he remembered from his own childhood days, but today, something was different.
• He caught sight of her nearly immediately. Liana stood at the swings, her dark curls bouncing as she pumped herself back and forth slowly. There was a sadness in her eyes that reached something deep within him. He noticed a group of children approach her, their voices increasing in a teasing chorus.
• "Hey, weirdo," one of the boys yelled, his voice teasing. "Why don't you go play by yourself?"