I paced the small room, my thoughts spinning into a tangled mess of lies and truths. Clara’s sharp gaze followed me as if she could peel back the layers of my mind just by looking hard enough. The crumpled note sat on the table between us like a loaded weapon, its words silently accusing me.
Clara wasn’t someone you could easily fool. Her observant nature had always made her both an ally and a potential threat. If she pieced together the truth about my mission, everything I had worked for would crumble. I had to tread carefully, weaving my story so tightly that even she wouldn’t unravel it.
Stopping mid-stride, I forced myself to take a deep breath and meet her penetrating gaze. “Clara,” I began, keeping my tone soft, almost vulnerable, “I know what you’re thinking.”
Her eyebrows shot u
