Chapter 31: A Web of Lies
Cambria stood motionless for what felt like an eternity, the weight of Elara’s words sinking in like an anchor in her chest. Maddox. The very person she had trusted with her deepest secrets, the one who had been by her side in every battle, was now the center of the storm. Her mind raced, each thought spiraling faster than the last.
Could it really be him? Could he have been the one feeding Elena all the information about her? The thought of it made her feel sick, as if the ground beneath her was giving way.
Elara’s message kept flashing in her mind: "Someone close to you." Someone from her inner circle. Maddox had been her closest ally. She had trusted him with everything. Everything. But now, she was left with nothing but doubts and questions.
"Maddox," she whispered to herself. "Please tell me I’m wrong."
But deep down, she knew she couldn’t ignore what Elara had uncovered. The pieces were falling into place. The late night meetings, the secretive phone calls, the way Maddox always seemed to know just what was going on before anyone else. She had always thought it was his way of being protective, of being helpful. But what if it wasn’t that simple?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Cambria’s heart skipped. She knew who it was without having to check. There was only one person who would dare walk in after everything that had happened.
"Maddox," she said, her voice cold, the name leaving her lips with a sharpness she hadn’t expected. She didn’t turn to face him. She couldn’t. The weight of his betrayal felt too heavy.
"Maddox," she repeated, forcing herself to look at him. "Do you have any idea what’s happening? Do you have any idea how much you’ve destroyed?"