Nadia’s POV

Lucy's dad, a stern man with deeply set Christian beliefs, greeted everyone warmly, but his eyes held a sharpness that made me uneasy. I tried to engage him in light conversation, hoping to keep his attention away from the undercurrents of drama.

The smell of roasted turkey and freshly baked pies suddenly felt suffocating, their warmth and comfort contrasting starkly with the icy dread creeping through my veins. What should have been a ...