Sleep came like a wave after the emotional turbulence of the night. I must've been more tired than I thought, because even Sophia's call didn't stop me. I barely remembered dropping my phone beside the pillow. My body sank into the luxurious bed, and for a while, nothing else mattered. The noise, the headlines, the photos, all of it faded beneath the weight of exhaustion.

Peace, however, is always temporary.

When I finally stirred, sunlight leaked through the thin hotel curtains, warm against ...