Episode 87

The air in the safe house was thick with the scent of stale coffee and unspoken anxieties. Elara traced the condensation ring her glass left on the worn wooden table, her gaze fixed on the rain lashing against the grimy windowpane. Liam sat opposite her, his usual easy confidence replaced by a grim tension. The betrayal had cut them both deep, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.

"I can't believe it," Elara whispered, the words catching in her throat. "Marcus. He was always so… loyal."

Liam ran a hand through his hair, his knuckles white. "Loyalty can be bought, Elara. Or threatened. Julian has a way of ensuring people fall in line." He met her eyes, a flicker of shared understanding passing between them. "We were too predictable. He anticipated our move."