Ava's fingers hovered over the photograph, her breath caught in her throat.
Liam watched her, his smirk barely visible under the dim station lights. "Go on," he murmured. "Take it."
Noah stepped between them, his voice low and warning. "Whatever game you're playing, it ends here."
Liam let out a quiet chuckle, tilting his head. "Game? Oh, Noah, you wish this was just a game." His gaze flickered back to Ava, unreadable. "The truth has always been here. You just never wanted to see it."
Jasper shifted beside her, his hands clenched into fists. "This isn't the time for riddles, Liam."
Ava's pulse hammered as she snatched the photograph from Liam's grasp. Her eyes darted across the image, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing. It was a grainy shot—old, yet unmistakable.
A familiar face.
A familiar scar.
A memory she wasn't supposed to remember.
Her knees nearly buckled. "No... that's not possible."
Noah's hand was on her shoulder in an instant. "Ava?"
She swallowed hard, the edges of her world blurring. "This can't be real."
Liam's voice was softer now, almost pitying. "It is real. And deep down, you already know that."
Ava tore her gaze away from the photograph, locking eyes with him. "Why are you doing this?"
He exhaled slowly. "Because, Ava... you deserve to know who you're really standing beside."
Her stomach twisted.
Noah.
Was that what this was about? Another attempt to drive a wedge between them? Or was Liam telling the truth?
Jasper stepped forward, snatching the photo from Ava's trembling hands. His expression darkened. "Where did you get this?"
Liam shoved his hands into his pockets. "I have my sources."
Noah's voice was sharp, controlled. "You're lying."
Liam met his stare, unblinking. "Am I?"
Silence hung between them, thick and suffocating.
Ava clenched her jaw, forcing herself to steady. "If you really want me to believe you, Liam, then prove it."
A slow grin spread across his face. "That's exactly what I intend to do."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the night, leaving behind only the weight of his words—and the cracks forming in everything Ava thought she knew.