In the dimly lit room, Eloise’s eyelids fluttered open. The weight of the silence in the air settled heavily upon her. Her sharp, fearful gaze darted around the unfamiliar space, trying to grasp where she was. The cold room made her feel trapped, as if the darkness itself were closing in on her. She lay motionless in the bed, her long, tangled hair splayed around her like a dark halo, a mess of exhaustion and dread.
Eloise’s heartbeat quickened as she took in her surroundings. The atmosphere was tense, thick with the kind of tension only secrets could breed. Ainsley stood by her side, his presence imposing. He was watching her, waiting, as though he had been standing there for an eternity, his eyes burning with the weight of a question that needed to be answered. His rigid posture betraye
