Chapter 88

• Damien stared out the window, the quiet hum of the city a soft backdrop to his racing thoughts. The weight of the past few days settled heavily on his shoulders, tangled in complexity by secrets he hadn’t anticipated. Just as he began to dissect the maddening absence of answers, his phone vibrated on the nearby table, breaking the silence. It was Nathan.
• “Hey,” Damien said, his voice steady, masking his anxiety as he placed the phone against his ear.
• “Hey, Damien,” Nathan replied, a slight edge to his tone that piqued Damien’s interest. “I dug into Charlotte’s background like you asked. I have some findings, but it’s… well, it’s odd.”