The first caller sounded nervous.
Amara watched the console carefully as the connection stabilized.
Julian leaned closer to the microphone.
"You're on Midnight Echoes," he said smoothly. "Tell us your secret."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
Finally, a woman's voice spoke.
"I… I've never told anyone this before."
Amara adjusted the sound levels slightly.
That happened often on late-night shows.
People felt braver in the dark.
"What's your name?" Julian asked gently.
"Maria."
"Well, Maria," Julian said calmly. "The night is listening."
Another pause followed.
Then the woman spoke again.
"I lied to my sister years ago," she admitted. "About something important."
Julian nodded slowly.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"You did."
Amara froze.
Her fingers stopped moving on the console.
How could he say that so confidently?
The caller gasped.
"How did you know—"
The call suddenly disconnected.
Static filled the speakers for a moment before the line went silent.
Amara stared at the console in confusion.
Julian simply moved on to the next call as if nothing strange had happened.
But something about that exchange felt wrong.
Very wrong.
As the show continued, the same pattern repeated itself.
Caller after caller shared their secrets.
And somehow…
Julian always seemed to know more than he should.
By the time the broadcast ended, Amara's curiosity had turned into suspicion.
Because one thing was clear.
Julian Cole wasn't just guessing.
He sounded like he already knew the answers.