Chapter 32

Elodie grunted, her muscles screaming as she squeezed out another agonising push-up. Sweat beaded on her forehead, each rep a fierce battle against the gravity pinning her chest to the padded floor. The shrill chime of the doorbell pierced the rhythm of her workout, a jarring interruption in her pre-dawn routine. She paused, panting, and cautiously walked towards the peephole. Through the fisheye lens, she saw her brother standing on the porch, clutching a hefty brown bag. What was he doing here at the crack of dawn? Grumbling about the lack of security cameras (a mental note to rectify ASAP), Elodie threw open the door. Gabriel, his hair slightly damp with morning dew, held out the bag like a peace offering. ‘Breakfast.’ Elodie wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the towel draped over her shoulders. ‘What are you doing here? It’s barely six o’clock.’ ‘I need to tell you something.’ He walked past her into the house. Elodie followed him into the kitchen. Gabriel set the bag do