Chapter 78: Shadows of Envy
The sky outside was a dismal gray, clouds heavy with impending rain. Gusts of wind whipped through the trees, rustling leaves and sending stray papers dancing across the campus.
Inside the library, the atmosphere was hushed and focused. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a pale glow over rows of dusty bookshelves. The air was stale, thick with the scent of old paper and worn leather.
Lucas and Sofia sat at their usual table, nestled in a quiet corner near the fiction section. Their books and notes sprawled across the surface, a chaotic landscape of highlighted passages and scribbled notes.
The library's silence was almost palpable, punctuated only by the occasional rustle of pages or soft murmur of conversation from fellow students.
As the rain beg
