"You expect me to believe," Daniel began slowly, "that a woman raised in Victor Vaughn's household keeps an entirely empty phone?"
Elena tilted her head slightly.
"You already made up your mind before asking the question, Mr. Hale."
"That's because experience teaches people patterns."
A faint humorless smile appeared on Elena's lips.
"And your experience with my father automatically defines me?"
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Which itself was answer enough.
The atmosphere tightened subtly.
Meanwhile Alaric remained standing silently nearby, watching both of them carefully.
Clara closed the laptop halfway but didn't interrupt.
Daniel leaned back slightly against the couch before speaking again.
"People who live carefully usually do so for one of two reasons." His eyes remained fixed on Elena. "Either they have something dangerous to hide… or they've spent their entire life afraid of being exposed."
For the very first time—
Elena's expression shifted.
Only slightly.
