AT THE SAME TIME
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
The tension in the room was suffocating as Xavier folded the letter and slid it back into the envelope. His movements were deliberate, but I could see the tightness in his jaw, and the way his shoulders squared as if he were bracing for something heavy. My heart ached for him, even as worry gnawed at me. The man who had delivered the letter stood near the door, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t intimidating in the traditional sense, but there was a cold efficiency about him that made my skin crawl. He didn’t flinch under Xavier’s sharp gaze, which only made me more uneasy.
"Take it back to her," Xavier said, his voice low but firm. "And tell her we’re not afraid of her games."
The man nodded, slipping the envelope into his briefcase.
"I’l
