The evening air was cool as Sophia stepped out onto the balcony, her hands gripping the railing as she looked down at the city lights below. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—strategies, lies, and the constant pull between wanting to escape and realizing there was nowhere to run.
Behind her, the door opened, and Liam's voice broke the quiet. "I didn't expect to find you out here."
Sophia didn't turn around. "What are you doing here, Liam?"
"I could ask you the same thing. But I already know the answer." His footsteps were soft as he stepped up beside her, his presence filling the space. "You're plotting. We both are. But you'll never outsmart me."
Her lips twitched in a bitter smile. "I'm not interested in outsmarting you. I'm just trying to survive."
Liam's gaze was fixed on her, his eyes narrowing slightly as if studying her. "You're stronger than I gave you credit for. Most people would have folded by now."
"I'm not most people," she said, her voice firm.
There was a brief silence before Liam spoke again, his tone unexpectedly softer. "This doesn't have to be a war, you know."
She whipped her head toward him, her expression incredulous. "You're joking, right? After everything, now you want peace?"
He shrugged, a hint of vulnerability flashing across his features. "Not peace. But maybe something... different."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat, her chest tightening. What was he implying? Could she trust anything he said?
Before she could respond, Liam added, his voice low and almost hesitant, "Maybe we don't have to hate each other."
She recoiled slightly, her eyes searching his face. "Don't flatter yourself. I don't know how to do anything but hate you."
Liam's smirk returned, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—something dangerously close to longing. "We'll see about that."