Chapter 60

The silence in the car was thick, punctuated only by the hum of the engine and the sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires as Julian sped down the narrow road. Erica leaned back in her seat, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. The folder, now securely tucked in her bag, felt like a ticking time bomb. It held everything they needed to destroy Ophelia, but with that knowledge came the crushing weight of responsibility.

Julian’s hand rested casually on the wheel, his eyes fixed ahead, but Erica could see the tension in the lines of his jaw, the way his fingers gripped the leather too tightly. They had just barely made it out of the safe house alive, and now the real fight was looming ahead of them. There would be no second chances. No room for mistakes.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" Julian asked, his voice cutting through the quiet as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. There was an edge of concern in his tone, one that had become more frequent since th