Chapter 1056

Jude didn't answer right away. The flicker in Layla's eyes wasn't just fear—it was the need for truth, something more raw than comfort. His silence stretched just a second too long, and that second said everything.

"I think they did," he finally murmured.

Layla's jaw tightened, but she didn't look away. Her fingers played with the edge of her sleeve like she was pulling thoughts loose. "Then why are we all pretending we didn't?"

"Because it's easier to carry the silence than what we might say aloud."

She frowned. "Even with each other?"

Jude looked past her shoulder into the trees. He thought he saw something move, a subtle displacement in the shadows, but when he blinked, there was nothing. Still, he felt it. That weight behind the branches. A pressure against his chest. He met her eyes again. "We're not ready."