The city had never felt so loud.

Car horns, rain, the electric hum of life continuing as if nothing had changed but inside Alexander’s world, everything had.

Betrayal had a sound too. It wasn’t shouting or gunfire. It was quieter the soft scrape of trust leaving the room.

He stood at the edge of his office balcony, the night air cold against his face. Below, the skyline glittered like a million lies. Each one, he thought, could hide another knife.

Liam’s voice came from behind ...