Celeste tossed his clothes at him.

“Go home.”

He looked surprised.

“Mr. Hartwell?”

“You’ve got nothing left to do here.”

Damien gave me a long, resentful glance before slipping on his clothes, fastening the expensive watch she’d bought him. Then he left without another word.

I stayed kneeling, unmoving.

Not because I wanted to—but because the pain in my knees was sharp and raw. Even the smallest shift hurt.

Celeste’s voice turned cold.

“Still nothing to say?”

I shook my head.

She clenched her jaw.

“It’s just the two of us here. No listening devices. You can talk freely.”

“I know,” I replied quietly.

She threw her cigarette to the ground and stormed toward me. One hand gripped my neck, the other held up a photo of a woman.

“You and I both know she’s the killer. Why won’t you testify? What’s your connection to her?”

I stared at the woman in the photo and let out a bitter laugh.

“I don’t know her.”

“Then why protect her?”

I met Celeste’s furious gaze, unwavering.

“I’m not protecting her.”

She shoved me to the floor, pacing the room like a storm waiting to break.

“Was my brother not good to you?”

At the mention of Alden, my throat tightened. My eyes stung.

I shook my head.