The road stretched ahead, bathed in the pale light of the moon. The silence between Bryan and Stella was thick, each lost in their own thoughts about the danger awaiting them. Every bump in the road seemed to echo the rapid beating of Stella's heart as her grip tightened on the steering wheel. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Emma, the visions of her daughter's tear-streaked face replaying in her mind like a cruel reminder of what was at stake. She couldn't lose her. Not after everything they had already gone through.
Bryan, sitting beside her, stared out the window, his jaw clenched tight. He too was thinking of Emma, but his mind was also occupied with another, more pressing concern—the man responsible for all of this chaos. William.
"He's escalating," Bryan said suddenly, breaking the silence. "You know that, right?"
