Caleb drew a slow breath behind his mask, eyes narrowing for a moment at Sophia's phone screen showing the recording.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly, his voice pressed down to stay steady. "Maybe your CCTV glitched. Or you just remembered wrong."
Sophia just scoffed, her gaze too calm, too certain. "Don't try to mess with me, Caleb. I might look like some useless shopkeeper, but I've lived in the dark way longer than you have."
Caleb stayed silent, heart thudding hard, but his face stayed rigid.
Sophia crossed her arms, her voice dropping colder.
"But don't worry. I'm not gonna get involved. You're Melissa's kid… and for your late mother's sake, I still owe her respect."
The words stabbed deep in Caleb's head. Again. Once again, his mother's name turned into his shield.
Sophia held his gaze for a moment longer, then her lips curved into something half-mocking.
