A missing file

Layla handed Lucius a glass of water, her gaze briefly resting on the pills he held in his hand. He swallowed them swiftly, placing the empty glass on the bedside table.

After switching off the main lights, Layla returned to the bed, settling beside Lucius. He immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her close. He then confessed, "I took your advice. I decided not to pressure Demitri. He needs time—time to come to me on his own terms."

Layla nodded thoughtfully. "I hope he does, but knowing Demitri, he won't want to discover the truth that way."

Lucius sighed, his breath warm against her hair. "I know. He's convinced that doing so might put me in danger."

After a moment's pause, he shifted the conversation. "On my way to Demitri's place, Zayne gave me X's phone. I asked Demitri to track the number associated with it. The results were… strange. The number belonged to Orabela, but it was being used from an entirely different location."