Chapter 221

Camille sat in the small café near Kane Industries, stirring her coffee without drinking it. The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting warm patterns on the wooden tables where other customers read newspapers and checked their phones. Everything looked normal, peaceful even, but Camille felt like she was sitting in the eye of a storm that could explode into violence at any moment.

Alexander walked through the café door, and Camille’s heart did something complicated in her chest. He looked tired, older than his years, but there was something different about his posture. The desperate edge that had consumed him for months was gone, replaced by a quieter sadness that somehow felt more honest.

“Thank you for meeting me,” Alexander said, sliding into the chair across from her. “I wasn’t sure you would come.”

“I almost didn’t,” Camille admitted. “But we need to talk about what happens next.”

Alexander nodded, understanding that she wasn’t just talking ab