Night stretched thin over the city, leaving behind a restless quiet that felt more like anticipation than peace.
Father Damien sat alone in his room, the lamp on his desk casting a narrow pool of light across worn pages of scripture he could no longer focus on. His mind kept returning to Anna—her eyes, observant and searching, as though she were looking past the man he pretended to be and straight into the truth beneath.
Arnold's departure changed things. Damien could feel it in the air, like a chessboard resetting itself while one dangerous player stepped away. Opportunities opened in moments like these, but so did risks.
He rose from his chair and stood by the window. Somewhere beyond the chapel walls, plans were already moving—Fred racing to protect his family, Arnold tighten
