The night stretched itself across the city like a worn-out blanket, heavy and unmoving, wrapping every street and every rooftop in a quiet that felt almost suffocating. The lamps flickered with tired light, and the roads were empty, save for the occasional gust of wind that chased wrappers and dust against the pavement. Andre drove slowly, his headlights cutting through the darkness as his car rolled to a stop in front of the small, familiar house that elena stayed with her mum.

He didn’t ...