Chapter 21: A Safe Place

Ella’s POV

Noah’s room was nothing like the cramped, moldy cell I had shared with Lora and her friends. That place had been a pit of rot and cruelty, a corner where I was reminded daily of how low I’d been pushed. Here, it was different. The walls were clean, free from damp patches and peeling paint. The air didn’t stink of sweat or old food, and the silence was comforting instead of suffocating.

It wasn’t luxurious—just a small, narrow bed pressed against ...