That night, Lila stood before the mirror in Liora's penthouse, exhausted and contemplative. Her reflection was flawless, confident, and commanding—the image of the woman she had long admired. Yet inside, she felt a strange dissonance.
Was she Lila, the quiet cinephile who had idolized heroines from afar? Or had she begun to truly embody Liora Cade, absorbing her courage, charisma, and burden of responsibility? Every decision, every moral choice, every action blurred the lines between the two identities.
For the first time, she understood that heroism demanded not only bravery but a reshaping of the self. She wasn't just stepping into a role—she was evolving, and with evolution came fear, exhilaration, and the undeniable risk of losing herself entirely.