Chapter109:

Chapter 109 Max’s Point of View The rhythmic ticking of the clock on my office wall was the only sound breaking the silence. Papers were scattered across my desk, but I couldn’t focus. My mind was restless, plagued by memories I had tried to bury for years. The past had a way of creeping back in, no matter how deeply I tried to bury it. A sharp knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I said, my tone clipped. The door opened, and Marco stepped in, his face lighting up with a grin that was both familiar and foreign. It had been years since I last saw him, but his presence instantly took me back to our childhood the days before everything went wrong. “Max!” he exclaimed, walking toward me with open arms. I stood, allowing him to pull me into a quick embrace. “Marco. It’s been a long time.” “Too long,” he agreed, stepping back to look at me. “You’ve changed. The last time I saw you, you were a scrawny kid with scraped knees and wild hair. Now look at you Maximilian Graves,