Morning sunlight spilled faintly across the small bedroom as Elena shifted beneath her blanket, her body exhausted from the previous day’s chaos. Her mother had stayed beside her the night before, wiping her tears, rubbing her back, and whispering comfort until Elena finally drifted into a deep, breathless sleep. Mrs. Gregory had been firm that her daughter needed rest more than anything else. She knew Elena’s mind had been stretched to its limits, pulled through fear, humiliation, ...