Vanessa’s POV

Outside, the rain had softened to a drizzle, threading down the tall glass windows in thin lines. The city beyond looked blurry and calm, with golden lights shining in the mist. But Vanessa wasn’t looking at the view.

She had been pacing her bedroom for almost half an hour, her silk robe hanging loosely off one shoulder, her hair falling over her face like a curtain. She wasn’t tired, not physically, but mentally, she was spiraling.

It had been two days since she called ...