CHAPTER 303

Elijah’s POV

The tunnel was narrow and claustrophobic, barely wide enough for one person to move through at a time. The air was damp, carrying the scent of earth and decay. I could hear the others behind me, their footsteps echoing softly as we descended further into the darkness.

The path twisted and turned, eventually leading us to a small, hidden chamber—a cellar, perhaps, buried deep beneath the farmhouse. It was lit by a single, flickering bulb. And there, huddled in the corner, was Julia.

She looked different—gaunt, her face pale and lined with exhaustion. Her once-vibrant hair hung limply around her shoulders, and her eyes, wide with fear, locked onto mine the moment I entered the room. For a split second, time seemed to freeze.

“Elijah,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Please… don’t do this.”

My grip tightened on the gun, but something in her voice gave me pause. This wasn’t the Julia I remembered—the cunning, manipulative woman who had caused so much pain. She seemed… br