CHAPTER 87: THE INTRUDER

Eleanor's heels clicked on the pavement as she rushed to the office with worst-case scenarios racing in her head. Levi's call had been brief, but the urgency in his voice was unmistakable. As she turned the corner, a well-known figure stepped out of the shadows. Owen, her friend since college, looked troubled, his eyes pleading for a moment of her time. "Eleanor, wait," he said, falling into step beside her. She slowed her pace, her curiosity piqued. "What is it, Owen? I'm running late." "I thought we could grab a drink, but apparently, you are in a hurry." He said "Yeah. But what is it? If you can make it brief, no problem." Owen took a deep breath. "It's about Xander. I know I should have told you sooner, but. I was scared." Eleanor's heart sank. "What about Xander? Anything happened to him?" Her voice trembled. Owen frowned. "You knew what happened; we had a misunderstanding, and I said things I shouldn't have. He's been avoiding me ever since." She was calm but turned cold