POV: Claire
The city was quiet that morning, almost oppressively so. I had told myself to stay calm, to keep my routine, to act normal—whatever that meant anymore. But the gnawing tension in my stomach, the subtle nausea that had been haunting me for days, refused to be ignored. Each sip of coffee was a battle against the faint churning in my belly, each breath a reminder of the secret I could barely contain.
Margaret’s presence was everywhere before she even arrived. She had this way of stepping into a room that made it feel smaller, sharper, as though her eyes could pierce through every lie, every hidden thought. I moved carefully through the apartment, making sure dishes were stacked neatly, blinds perfectly aligned, even though I was trembling on the inside.
I had no choice but to l
