CAMILLE'S POV

I stepped outside for some air. The air in the lounge somehow felt stifling. It was thick with unspoken tensions and probing stares, and it didn't get any better until I found my way into the garden. The cool morning breeze provided little relief as I gasped for breath, my chest constricting tighter with every inhale.

I wanted to scream, to release the anguish welling up inside me, but I couldn't even find the strength to do it. The most I could do was crumple onto a nearby bench; ...