Chapter 91: A Silent Divide

  I need to figure out where we stand now."

Xavier reached out, his fingers brushing against her hand. "I'll give you all the time you need, Sophia. I just hope that when you're ready, you'll still see the person you fell in love with."

She looked at him, her gaze filled with a mixture of affection and uncertainty. "I want to believe that, Xavier. But right now, the chasm between us feels so wide."

As the words hung in the air, Xavier realized the depth of the challenge ahead. Their bond had been fractured, and he wasn't sure if he could mend it. He watched as Sophia turned away, her silhouette once again framed by the fading light.

Tavian paced back and forth in his small quarters, the weight of his thoughts pulling at him like an anchor. The revelation about Xavier's enigmatic nature had thrown his world into turmoil, and he found himself torn between two allegiances that felt equally binding – his loyalty to his friend and his duty to the resistance.