Chapter: 1612

His hand hovered mid-air, poised to knock, before dropping away as realization dawned.

This wasn't like Laney at all-the locked door and the unanswered message. Something had shifted in their delicate balance, and he felt it keenly. The need to understand drove him to seek out Gerry.

Gerry had been waiting, ready to unravel the night's events with careful precision.

“If there's nothing illicit about your meetings with Juliet, why shroud them in secrecy?" Gerry's voice carried a hint of challenge.

Cliff's face darkened. His fingers wrestled with his tie, seeking relief from the suffocating tension in his chest, but found none.