Chapter Sixty Five: Stop

Nightfall

The gravel crunched under the expensive tires as Cross's car pulled into his mansion's circular driveway. The imposing structure loomed against the darkening sky, its windows glowing with warm light that should have felt welcoming but somehow seemed cold and distant tonight.

The engine's purr died away, leaving only the sound of crickets and the distant hum of the city beyond the estate's walls. The silence between the two occupants of the car was thick with unspoken tension that had been building throughout their drive home.

"Good night," Marceline muttered tersely as she got out of the car, her heels clicking sharply against the stone pavement. She didn't wait for him or look back, simply walked toward the mansion's entrance with purposeful strides that spoke of her desire to escape his presence as quickly as possible.

Cross followed behind her, his longer strides allowing him to keep pace despite her obvious attempt to put distance between them. The security lights illumi