A Fool

"You came to the church, Ella. This is your last chance. Tell me the truth."

Ella closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling as though each breath was a struggle. She knew there was no escaping this moment, no turning back from the consequences of her choices. Her hands trembled in her lap, and a shiver coursed through her body. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met Aiden's piercing gaze, knowing that this might be the last time she would ever see him. Her voice was barely audible, a fragile whisper that carried the weight of everything she had tried to bury.

"Serena is dead."

The words hung in the air and Aiden's expression shifted in an instant, his fury boiling over. His hand, tightened on her face until she winced in pain. She tried to twist her head away, but his grip was ironclad. Panic flared in her chest as her vision blurred with tears.

"Don't play games with me," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "What did you just say? Where is Serena?"