**Elena’s Pov**

I couldn’t sleep all night. I was up before dawn, pacing the cold floor barefoot, my stomach twisting with anxiety.

When I finally gathered the courage to face my father, I quietly slipped out of my room. My legs trembled so much I had to clutch the doorframe for support, hoping no one would notice how distraught I looked.

“Lena,” Lucia called softly from behind me. “Where are you going?”

“To see my father,” I mumbled, not looking at her.

She followed, her ...