CHAPTER 93 — THE WEIGHT OF TRUTH
Morning arrived with a brittle stillness, the kind that settled only after something irreversible had been set in motion.
Elena woke before the city stirred, her mind already awake, already counting consequences. The meeting from the previous night replayed in fragments—not the words spoken, but the silences between them. Victor Hale's emissary had revealed more through hesitation than any threat ever could.
They were afraid.
Not of scandal.
Of exposure without control.
She dressed quietly, the soft rustle of fabric barely audible in the dim bedroom. Adrian was awake as well, sitting on the edge of the bed, sleeves rolled, gaze distant. He had not slept deeply either. Whatever ground had shifted yesterday had not settled.
"You're thinking about the timing," he said without turning.
"Yes," Elena replied. "They reached out too early."
Adrian nodded. "Which means something else is about to break."
