The silent circle

Unraveling secrets

Cleo sat across from Gabriel in a small café tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. The adrenaline from everything they'd uncovered was still coursing through her veins, but the shock of seeing her mother — alive — just hours ago left her head spinning.

Gabriel watched her carefully. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Cleo let out a long, shaky breath. "I don't even know. How am I supposed to be okay? My parents have been alive this whole time, hiding from me. And now I'm tangled up in something that feels bigger than I can handle."

He reached across the table, his fingers lightly brushing hers. "We'll figure it out together. You don't have to do this alone."

She met Gabriel's eyes, grateful for his support but still overwhelmed. "But what if it's too dangerous? What if the Crimson Circle comes after you too? I can't drag you into this."

Gabriel shook his head, his voice steady. "I'm already in this, Cleo. And I'm not backing out now." He paused, his gaze softening. "But we need to figure out what really happened with your parents. What have you found so far? Do you have any leads?"

Cleo sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I haven't met my mom, not since they disappeared. All I have are these fragments—things I've uncovered on my own. Ashton told me bits and pieces, but I feel like he's still hiding something."

"Like what?" Gabriel asked, leaning forward. "Do you think he knows more?"

"I do," Cleo said quietly, her frustration evident. "He finally admitted that my parents faked their deaths because the Crimson Circle was after them. He said they were working on exposing something huge, something dangerous. And they thought the only way to protect me was to disappear."

Gabriel frowned. "And you think Ashton's been covering this up?"

Cleo nodded. "He's been keeping this from me for ten years, Gabriel. He knew everything but chose to let me think they were dead all this time. He made me live with that grief while he knew they might still be out there. I can't wrap my head around why he would do that."

Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, his expression troubled. "Maybe he thought it was for your safety. But still... to keep something like that from you for so long?"

Cleo clenched her fists, her voice rising. "It's more than that, though. He's still hiding things. I asked him outright if my parents are alive, and he wouldn't give me a clear answer. It's like he's trying to protect me from the truth, but I deserve to know."

Gabriel leaned back, taking a deep breath. "Do you think they're still alive?"

Cleo hesitated, her heart heavy with uncertainty. "I don't know. I want to believe they are, but after all these years, after everything, I just don't know what to believe anymore. If they're alive, why haven't they reached out to me? Why let me go through all this pain?"

Gabriel looked at her, his eyes full of understanding. "Maybe they're still trying to protect you. Maybe they're still in danger."

Cleo's voice softened, a tremor running through it. "Or maybe they're gone for real, and Ashton's just trying to keep me from knowing the truth."

Gabriel reached out and gently touched her hand. "We'll find out the truth, Cleo. But whatever happens, you're not alone in this. We'll figure it out together."

She squeezed his hand, feeling a flicker of hope despite the darkness that surrounded them. "Thanks, Gabriel. I just... I just want answers. I need to know what really happened."

Gabriel nodded firmly. "We'll get those answers. And whatever Ashton is hiding, we'll uncover it."

Cleo nodded slowly, her anger fading into exhaustion. "I don't know who to trust anymore."