Lily and Ethan worked in silent focus as the clock struck midnight. Long shadows were created across the room by the desk lamp's weak brightness, which changed slightly with every change in the atmosphere. There was tension in the quiet between them, a tenuous truce held together by a common goal. The stakes felt unachievably high, notwithstanding how close they were.
Lily shuffled the papers on the table, grazing the edge of one with her fingers. Her voice was quiet but firm as she questioned, "Do you really think we'll find what we're looking for in Daniel's financial records?"
Ethan kept his eyes fixed on his laptop's screen and didn't look up. There will be a money trail if Daniel is being coerced by Carlisle's network. Even when people lie, transactions don't.
His tone of certainty hardened Lily's resolve. She couldn't deny that, despite her misgivings about him, Ethan had a way of keeping her balanced when the ground under them felt unsteady.
