(SASHA)
Earlier...
The study is quiet, save for the low hum of the computer monitor. I lean back in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight, and stare at the screen. My fingers drum against the armrest, a restless rhythm that matches the unease churning in my gut.
Across from me, Tyler is seated with his arms crossed, his usual calm replaced by a tense frown.
The safe we'd cracked open earlier sat in the corner, its contents—documents, photographs, and a single key—spread across the desk. We'd uncovered secrets, sure, but they were fragments, pieces of a puzzle that didn't quite fit.
And the gaps? Those are what keep me awake at night.
The screen flickers and Gloria's face appears. Her eyes scan the room briefly before settling on me. She looks as composed as ever, her silver hair pulled back in a bun, her crimson lips curved in a faint smile.
But I know her well enough to see the tension in her expression. This isn't going to be an easy conversation.
