Damien pushed the office doors open and paused, taking in the scene before him. He hadn’t expected the atmosphere to feel so… tense.
Hudson and Cruz stood at attention, calm and collected, but their posture was stiff, as if waiting for a signal.
Ashcroft, on the other hand, was a different story. He was planted directly in front of them, eyes sharp and unyielding, the kind of look that made it feel like a duel had broken out in the middle of the room. Every subtle twitch of his jaw, every tightening of his fists suggested he was preparing for battle—except the battle wasn’t with Hudson or Cruz, it was with the situation itself.
The air felt thick, almost awkward, like the room itself was holding its breath. Damien could feel it—the quiet tension crackling between loyalty, suspicion, and
