Chapter 21 Shadows Of The Past

• The night at the safe house stretched on, heavy with unspoken fears and simmering tension. Sophia couldn't sleep, her mind tangled in the web of revelations Ethan had uncovered. The betrayal had gone even deeper than she had ever imagined. It wasn’t just Victoria who had destroyed her family—there had been someone else, someone from the inside. That knowledge gnawed at her, making it impossible to rest.
• Sophia slipped out of bed and quietly made her way to the living room, where she found Ethan still awake, seated at a desk with papers scattered around him. His laptop screen cast a soft blue glow, highlighting the dark circles under his eyes. He looked up as she approached, offering a small, weary smile.
• “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, though the answer was obvious.