Valeria

I sat in the back of the taxi, with my hands shaking on my lap. My breaths came out fast and uneven, and I couldn’t make them slow it down. The driver kept looking at me through the rear view mirror, his eyebrows furrowed with worry. “Miss, are you okay?” he asked, his voice was soft but filled with nervousness.

I forced myself to nod, even though I felt far from okay. “I… I hope I’ll be fine,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Inside, my heart was racing, and my ...