"And if you find out she killed your parents, would you still want to save 'the children'?" The question hung in the air, a challenge that seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room.
The silence that followed was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated the group. Duke's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Nadia, as he struggled to process the accusation.
Rachel's laughter cut through the tension, a cold, mirthless sound that sent a shiver down Duke's spine. It was a sound that seemed to say, 'I've got you right where I want you.'
Duke's expression remained calm, a mask that he had perfected over the years. But beneath the surface, a storm was brewing.
He had heard it before, of course. People had tried to use his parents' demise to manipulate him, to get a rise out of him or make him succumb into doing something. But there was something about Rachel's words that seemed different. Something that seemed... genuine.
