CHAPTER 45 STAY AWAY FROM JULIET

Once Mark became tired of the conversation, Mark wasted no time in airing his concerns, his eyes cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "You need to stay away from Juliet," he said, his voice low and urgent, the friendly facade melting away into a serious, almost paternal, tone. "She's trouble, Caleb. She could ruin everything." Caleb's expression hardened, his gaze turning cold and calculating as he considered Mark's words. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice guarded. As Caleb's eyes locked with Mark's, the thin veil of affability dropped away, revealing the coiled intensity that simmered beneath his surface. His face, normally open and disarming, now hardened into sharp angles, the planes of his cheeks and jaw rigid and angular like the edges of a knife. "How can you say such a thing?" he demanded, his voice cold and controlled, his pupils widening like black pits that seemed to swallow the light. "Juliet is a valued member of my... inner circle. She would never betray