Melissa.
I opened my eyes slowly, my lashes heavy, my body stiff, and the first thing that greeted me was the weight in my chest. It pressed down on me before I was fully awake, as if my heart remembered what my mind was still trying to escape.
The day I dreaded the most was finally here.
Light filtered through the curtains in a cruel, golden glow, too bright, too cheerful for a morning like this. It felt mocking. My throat tightened as reality settled in, sharp and unforgiving. No matter how tightly I closed my eyes again, the truth refused to disappear.
The door creaked open softly.
Maids filed into the room in neat rows, their heads bowed slightly, their movements practiced and respectful. Their presence felt overwhelming. Before I could protest, gentle hands reached for me, pullin
