Chapter 111
~ Yvonne ~
I stayed awake all night, watching the clock. Watching Jackson's breathing. Waiting for the perfect moment to execute my plan.
My mind worked through every angle, every possibility, every word I would need to say. I rehearsed the tears, the trembling voice, the perfect amount of vulnerability that would make Jackson's protective instincts override his doubts.
The room gradually lightened as dawn approached. 5:30 AM. 5:45 AM. 6:00 AM.
Perfect.
I started crying. Not loud, obnoxious sobs that would seem performative. But quiet, broken sounds. The kind of crying that suggested I'd been trying to hold it in. That I'd been suffering in silence for hours and finally couldn't contain it anymore.
Soft whimpers. Shaking shoulders. The occasional sniffle that would pierc
