Chapter 91

• The café was quiet, the hum of conversation and the faint clatter of dishes blending into the background. Maya sat in a corner booth, her hands clasped tightly around a mug of tea. She had asked Luke to meet her here, and now she felt the weight of the decision she was about to make. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of fear, doubt, and betrayal. She couldn’t afford to carry that weight any longer—not for herself and certainly not for her family.
• The door chimed, and Luke stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on her. He smiled, a hesitant, almost hopeful expression, and walked over to the table. He slid into the seat across from her, his movements slow, as if trying to gauge her mood.
• “Maya,” he said, his voice soft but uncertain. “Thanks for meeting me.”