Elena’s POV

I barely made it into the restroom before my stomach revolted.

The retching came so violently it felt as if something was trying to claw its way out of me.

I braced both hands against the cold marble sink, shoulders shaking, vision blurring at the edges. The taste in my mouth was sharp and sour, impossible to swallow down. I rinsed again and again with fruit-flavored mouthwash, the artificial sweetness clinging to my tongue, but the bitterness stayed, stubborn and cruel, as ...