NATASHA'S POV

The second my feet touched the marble floors of the hallway, a strange calm washed over me, like the house itself exhaled and whispered, You made it. You're safe now.

Everything was just as I left it. The glossy tiles gleamed beneath soft lighting, the air smelled of citrus and lavender, Mom’s favorite candle combo, and even the familiar hum of the AC sounded like a lullaby from another life.

For a moment, I allowed myself to smile.

God, I had missed this.

The silence.

The ...