I wasn’t sure how I managed it, but I forced my legs to move. Each step felt precarious, as if the ground beneath me might give way. Slowly, I turned away from them, my feet faltering as I struggled to maintain my balance.

It was as if my heart had drawn a heavy curtain over my emotions, shutting everything out. Numbness overtook me. The pain, the betrayal—it all dulled into nothingness. As I walked away, Mr. Renfield’s gaze caught mine. His hand closed around my wrist, his grip firm yet ...