Chapter 61 - Ask me anything

Celeste looks at me, her eyes narrowing as she weighs her options. I can tell she's torn between curiosity and fear. I try to keep my expression neutral, but inside, I'm bracing myself. She's going to ask something that will dig deep—something I might not even want to admit to myself.

She takes a deep breath, her voice steady but low. "Have you ever killed someone you didn't have to?"

Her question hits me like a punch to the gut. I knew this was coming, but hearing it out loud still feels like a slap. I can't afford to flinch, though, so I force myself to stay calm.

"Yes," I say, keeping my voice as even as possible. I see her tense up, her fingers gripping the Coke can tighter, but she doesn't say anything, just waits for me to continue. "Not every job is clean. Sometimes... things happen that shouldn't."

She's quiet, but I can see the disgust and fear creeping into her expression. I swallow hard, knowing that I'm losing her even more with every wo