I was used to retiring for bed earlier than normal coz I was always lonely and alone ,but tonight . I Couldn’t sleep. Not really. Every time my eyes closed, the blackmail message glowed against the darkness of my mind, its demand seared into my skull. I peeped through the window its dusk , and the mansion’s silence felt like a tomb.
I needed air.
But when I stepped out of the house, Liam was already there—leaning against the pole across the street, as if he hadn’t slept either. His tie was crooked, his shirt wrinkled, his face drawn with exhaustion.
“Clara,” he said quietly, pushing off the car. “We can’t keep waiting. Marco’s deadline is tomorrow.”
Something inside me snapped.
“Stop.” My voice was sharp, too sharp for the quiet night . “Stop saying we like this is your burden too. I
