(Karen’s POV – Present Tense)

The silence in our apartment feels heavier than words. Every sound, the tick of the clock, the low hum of the fridge, even the faint drip from the kitchen tap, presses against my chest like a slow, suffocating weight.

I’ve been sitting here for over an hour, my fingers knotted together, staring at the soft flicker of the lamp across the room. My mind keeps replaying Yasmin’s voice, cold, cutting, and too sure of itself.

“Ask him about his business trip ...