WHO AM I

WEB OF DECIET

The drive back home felt longer than usual. The silence in the car was suffocating, and Lila could still hear Renzo's mocking voice echoing in her head.

Noah leaned back in his seat, staring out of the window. His face was as unreadable as Phillip's had been earlier. She kept sneaking glances at him, wondering what he was thinking. Could Phillip's cryptic words be about Noah? But Noah had been nothing but kind and supportive. The thought of him being involved in Renzo's schemes seemed impossible.

Jasper, sitting in the back, let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, that was fun. Anyone else feeling like we've wandered into a soap opera?"

Lila couldn't help but chuckle, even as the tension in her chest refused to ease. Jasper always had a way of breaking the tension, even in the most stressful situations.

"Phillip's gone off the deep end," Kira muttered from the front seat. "First, he's all buddy-buddy with Renzo, and now he's talking about traitors? Who does he think he is, the evil mastermind of this messed-up game?"

Lila shook her head. "I don't know... But Phillip isn't the type to say something without meaning it. What if... What if he's right? What if one of us is playing both sides?"

The car grew quiet again, save for the low hum of the engine. Lila could feel Noah's gaze on her, but she didn't dare look back. The idea of someone close to them betraying the group felt like a punch to the gut. But who?

"Relax, Lila," Noah finally said, his voice soft. "We'll figure this out. Renzo's trying to mess with our heads, and Phillip—he's lost. Don't let them get to you."

His words were reassuring, but a small voice in the back of Lila's mind whispered otherwise. What if Noah was hiding something? Renzo had made it clear that they didn't know the full picture yet. And Phillip's warning—it had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.

Jasper interrupted her thoughts again, his tone playful. "Maybe we should just turn this into a reality show. Call it 'Who Wants to Be the Next Traitor?' We'll make millions."

Lila laughed despite herself, grateful for Jasper's humor. "I'd watch that."

As they pulled up to her house, Noah turned to her, his expression serious. "Take care of yourself, Lila. Don't let all this mess with your head too much."

"I'll try," she said with a weak smile, stepping out of the car.

As she watched the car drive away, her mind returned to Noah. There was something about him—something she couldn't quite put her finger on. He always seemed so calm, so in control, even when everything around them was falling apart. But was that just who he was? Or was he hiding something more?

The questions circled her mind as she walked into the house, her thoughts spinning like the comments that had once haunted her Instagram feed. Trust was becoming a luxury she couldn't afford.

Lila's trust is shaken, and as she grapples with the idea of betrayal, the lines between friend and foe blur. But is Noah as innocent as he seems? Or is there more beneath the surface waiting to be revealed?