Marcus’s words echo in my ear long after the call ends.
The footage you saw tonight… wasn’t the full recording.
The line goes dead.
Silence spreads across the terrace. Cold. Heavy.
I slowly lower the phone.
Adrian is watching me now. Not the city. Not the skyline. Me.
“What did he say?” Adrian asks.
I study his face carefully. Too carefully. Because Marcus’s accusation sits in my chest like a live wire.
“He said the hospital footage was edited.”
For a moment, Adrian doesn’t react. Then something hard flashes in his eyes.
“Marcus is manipulating you.”
“Is he?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
His jaw tightens.
“Then ask the question you actually want answered.”
The wind pushes across the terrace again. This time it feels colder. Sharper.
“Was the footage edited?” I ask.
A
