#Chapter 78: Decisions

Amelia It started after another strategy session, both of us lingering in his office while the building slowly emptied. I stood near the window, arms crossed tightly, watching dusk bleed into the pine forest below. Richard sat at the edge of his desk, tie loosened, eyes on the floor. "We have to stop," he said finally, so quietly it took me a second to register it. I turned to face him. "Stop what?" "This." He gestured vaguely between us. "All of it. The sneaking around. The pretending it’s just physical. It’s not working. And it’s getting dangerous." I didn’t answer right away. The words hung between us like smoke. "You think we’re being watched?" I asked. "I know we are," he replied, voice tight. "Tasha’s suspicious. Nathan’s too smart. Jenny—don’t even get me started." "So what then? We just walk away? Like this doesn’t matter?" He looked up, jaw clenched. "It does matter. That’s the problem. It matters too much. And we can’t afford to let it cost us everything."