The air crackled with unspoken animosity as Levi and Brandon stood facing each other, the silence stretching taut between them. Sound of Lyse's departing car seemed to amplify the tension, the fading sound a stark reminder of what Levi had lost. The two men, once rivals for Lyse's affection, now stood as adversaries, their shared history tainted by betrayal and regret.
Levi's gaze was hard, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Brandon. "I know exactly what you are doing," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "And it's not going to work."
Brandon met his gaze, a defiant smirk playing on his lips. "Do you?" he sneered, his voice laced with arrogance. "Do enlighten me, Levi. Tell me what I am doing."