(VALENTINO'S POV)
The call ends, but I keep staring at my phone like it might ring again.
Like my father's voice is gonna crawl back out of the speaker and tell me this was all some fucked-up nightmare.
But it doesn't.
The room feels heavier than it did a minute ago. Like the air itself decided to sit on my chest and see how long I can last without breathing.
Maxwell Chen is dead.
I killed him and his family.
The world is already spinning theories while the truth sits right here with us, ugly and impossible to unsee.
And we don't have the luxury of stopping.
Time is counting down. It doesn't give a shit about what we just uncovered. The clock keeps moving whether we like it or not.
I finally lock my phone and slide it into my pocket.
"Alright," I say, breaking the silence, my voice sounding steadier than I feel. "We move on to the next phase of the plan."
