Episode 76

The sterile white walls of the interrogation room seemed to absorb Elara’s every breath, leaving her feeling hollow and exposed. The air was thick with the cloying scent of stale coffee and unspoken accusations. Across the polished table, Detective Harding’s gaze was steady, his expression unreadable. He’d been patient, almost unnervingly so, letting her ramble, her voice a thin thread of anxiety in the oppressive silence. She’d told him everything, or at least, everything she could remember, the fragmented memories of Julian’s machinations, the chilling realization of her mother’s complicity, the desperate plea for help from Liam.

“And you say Mr. Thorne threatened you?” Harding’s voice was a low rumble, cutting through her rambling.

Elara nodded, her throat tight. “He… he made it clear that if I didn’t comply, there would be consequences. Not just for me, but for anyone I cared about.” The memory of Julian’s icy stare, the subtle curl of his lip that promised unspeakable retribution, sent a shiver down her spine. She’d seen it then, the raw power he wielded, the casual cruelty that lay beneath his polished exterior.