The new safe house felt achingly empty, like a ghost’s abandoned apartment. Perched high in a sleek, nondescript skyscraper, its walls were painted in muted grays and the furniture was a collection of sharp whites, all meticulously arranged yet devoid of warmth. The furnishings felt impersonal, chosen for function over comfort, while the one-way windows allowed only a muted, filtered view of the vibrant outside world. It was a perfect cage for Mara, designed to keep her isolated and ...