章節 273: A war

The safe house was smaller than I expected. Its plain white walls and minimalist furniture felt suffocating, almost sterile.

Carmen stood by the window, her back to me, staring out at the darkening skyline. She hadn't said much since I'd arrived, and the tension in the room clung to the air like a thick fog.

I could feel it the weight of something much bigger than I'd ever anticipated pressing down on us both. The silence between us wasn't the kind of comfortable quiet we used to share. It was loaded, heavy, and it made my chest tighten.

I approached her slowly, the floorboards creaking under my feet. "Carmen," I said softly, unsure if I should break the silence, but knowing I had to. "What's going on? You've barely spoken since I got here."