EVELYN’s POV

The heavy wooden doors of Alpha Hayes’ mansion closed behind me with a resounding thud, and I felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. The grandeur of the mansion had always felt imposing—marble floors, intricate tapestries, and grand chandeliers—but now it seemed distant and irrelevant. I was focused on the task at hand: packing my belongings and leaving this damn place behind for good.

As I wheeled my suitcase through ...