Chapter 67

Closing my eyes briefly, I gathered my scattered thoughts, taking a deep breath to steel my nerves. As I opened my eyes, I ventured into the fragile territory of truth, hoping against hope for a glimpse of understanding in Clyde's hardened heart.

"Would you believe me if I say, I never pressed the button?" I posed the question tentatively, hoping maybe he would trust me for the last time. His silence hung heavy in the air, a flicker of uncertainty clouding his steely gaze. It seemed, albeit for a fleeting moment, that my words had managed to convince him trust me.

But any inkling of empathy I sought from him was swiftly quashed. His eyes, once clouded with uncertainty, hardened into an impenetrable mask of coldness. His response, delivered with an unwavering determination, shattered any hope of finding common ground between us.

"No!" His voice, dripping with bitter finality, was accompanied by a haunting assertion that echoed through the room. "Because it's in your blood to betray," h