The days blurred together in a haze of tension, unease, and unsaid words. The world around Claire felt like it was closing in, each passing moment more suffocating than the last. Ethan and Marisol’s unspoken bond weighed heavily on her, and every time Ethan’s gaze lingered on Marisol, it was like a dagger twisting in her chest.
She couldn’t stop herself from watching them. Every moment they shared, every glance, every touch, felt like an assault on her very soul. She hated herself for being so weak, for feeling like she was losing Ethan, for not knowing how to navigate this world that seemed to consume everything in its path.
It was a late afternoon when the explosion finally came, shattering whatever fragile peace they had left.
Ethan had called for a meeting, a strategy session to pla
