Ally's POV

　　"Out here, love," I call back, the endearment tasting like ash on my tongue. It's a mask I've learned to wear well, a disguise necessary for survival.

　　The hefty folder, laden with secrets that could dismantle Nathan's meticulously crafted facade, presses against my side, hidden beneath the flowing fabric of my dress. My heart beats wildly, a frantic drumming that echoes Dawn's restless pacing within. This is it- the culmination of whispered promises ...