Sophia’s P.O.V

I stood across from him, my fingers knotted together, heart racing like it had something to prove. The quiet between us wasn’t awkward, it was heavy. Too many things left unsaid for too long. My voice came out softer than I intended, barely above a whisper. “Nathan… did you always know?” I hesitated, eyes flicking to him.

“That I was The Phoenix?”

His gaze didn’t shift right away. It stayed locked on mine, unreadable, searching maybe, or ...