Ella had ended the call and Caleb leaned back in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly as if they were the only thing keeping him grounded. Across the room, Ella perched on the armrest of the couch, her phone still in her hand, though she wasn't looking at it. She was staring at the floor, her lips pressed into a thin line, her usually bright demeanor dimmed.
Julian, standing by the door with his arms crossed, surveyed the room like a soldier assessing a battlefield. It was clear to him that something unspoken was hanging in the air between Caleb and Ella.
"So," Julian said, breaking the silence, his voice casual but sharp. "What's going on here? You two look like you've got some unresolved drama."
Ella shot him a sharp look. "Julian, don't start."
"I'm not starting anything," Julian replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm just saying, the energy in this room is… weird."
"Then maybe you should leave," Ella said pointedly, her tone clipped.
