What would you do… if, in the middle of something you absolutely shouldn't be doing—
There was a knock on the door?
Not just any knock.
A familiar one.
The kind that doesn't wait.
The kind that already knows you're inside.
Your heart, already racing for one reason, suddenly stutters—then pounds harder for another. Every thought scatters at once. What were you doing? Where are your clothes? Who's closest to the door? Who looks the most guilty?
And then—
A voice.
Calm.
Composed.
Too composed.
"Are you three there?"
Now it's not just panic—it's urgency. Movements turn sharp, rushed. Fabric is grabbed, pulled, adjusted without care. Someone freezes. Someone runs. Someone tries to sound normal—too normal.
And the worst part?
The door hasn't opened yet.
There's still time.
Just enough to fix everything.
Or not enough at all.
That was exactly what happened to Cassian—and the other two.
Outside the door stood Katherine.
Inside, everything shifted in an instant.
