Vanessa's POV

She sat rigid in the back seat, hands clasped tightly in her lap, nails digging into her skin. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, fast and uneven, each pulse reminding her that she was still breathing, still standing—but only barely.

Nothing had gone according to plan, not today, and not anymore. She could feel it.

She kept her face composed as the car came to a stop. One of the security guards opened the door, and Vanessa stepped out with practiced grace, her heels ...