Anna stood in front of Daniel’s door nervously, her palms cold and damp. This time, the tension in her chest was even heavier than when she first met him. The hallway felt too quiet, every tick of the classic clock echoing in her ears. She wondered if Rebecca was somewhere nearby, watching, calculating.

After taking a shaky breath, Anna finally knocked softly. A moment later, the doorknob turned, and Daniel appeared in a paint-stained white shirt. His hair was a little messy, his expression ...