The drive back to the city felt unreal, like the world had shifted slightly out of alignment.
Elena sat in the back seat of Chloe’s SUV, staring at the blur of streetlights as they sliced through the darkness. Her body was stiff, coiled tight, as if she were bracing for Julian’s voice to cut through the silence at any second. Even now, part of her expected it expected him to appear, calm and furious, explaining how this was all a misunderstanding, how she was overreacting, how he still owned the narrative.
But the only sound was the hum of the engine and the uneven rhythm of Chloe’s breathing.
Priya’s hand was locked around Elena’s, fingers trembling despite the strength of her grip. Elena could feel how badly her mother was trying not to fall apart. Priya had gone past anger now. Past
