Semua Bab PLAYING PRETEND: Bab 41 - Bab 45

Callie’s hands were still trembling hours after the morning’s chaos. She sat curled up on the couch, knees tucked beneath her, a blanket draped over her legs. The apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioning, but her mind was anything but still.She couldn’t erase the image of Xander standing in that office, defending her as if nothing else in the world mattered. The way his voice had cut through the room, unwavering, left her both breathless and terrified.The sound of the door unlocking pulled her from her thoughts. A moment later, Xander stepped inside, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the crisp evening air. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it for a second, his eyes finding hers instantly.“You’re still awake,” he said softly, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile quiet between them.Callie tried for a small smile. “Couldn’t sleep.”He crossed the room and crouched down in front of her, his gaze searching her face.

The city was restless beneath the veil of night, a sprawling maze of flickering streetlights and shadowed alleys. Callie gripped Xander’s hand tighter, her fingers digging into his palm as they moved swiftly down the nearly deserted sidewalk. Each step echoed with the quiet tension of uncertainty, a silent warning that danger still trailed just behind them.Xander’s gaze never faltered, sharp and alert as he scanned the darkness. “We need to get somewhere safe,” he said in a low voice, almost a growl. “Somewhere Veronica can’t touch us.”Callie nodded, swallowing the lump rising in her throat. “Where?”He gave her a fleeting look, something softer beneath the usual hard edge. “I have a place. Not far from here.”They slipped into a sleek black car waiting patiently at the curb, the driver’s eyes flicking briefly to Xander before they were whisked away through the city streets. The hum of the engine was a steady pulse beneath the silence.Callie rested her head lightly on Xander’s shou

The night air outside the cabin was sharp and cold, but inside, the tension burned hotter than ever. Callie stood by the window, watching the silhouette of the forest sway under the moonlight. She could still feel the echo of Veronica’s words, and her heart refused to settle.Xander paced the room, hands clenched at his sides. “She’s not bluffing,” he muttered, voice tight with frustration. “Veronica knows exactly how to get under my skin.”Callie turned to him. “We can’t let her win. We have to be smarter.”He stopped pacing and looked at her, eyes dark and stormy. “It’s not just Veronica anymore. My father… he’s pulling every string he has. They want to see me broken.”She stepped closer, searching his face. “Then we’ll have to break back harder.”The weight of the situation was sinking in. Xander’s father was no longer just a distant figure; he was a direct threat, one with the resources to ruin everything. And Veronica was playing a dangerous game, one that put Callie right in the