Alison had barely taken a step forward when she heard it.
“There! It’s her!”
The reporter’s voice rang out like an alarm, cutting through the murmur of the crowd. Alison froze, her breath catching in her throat as panic surged through her veins. The air around her seemed to thicken, suffocating her, and suddenly it was as though the entire world had shifted its focus—onto her.
In an instant, the first reporter’s frantic dash toward her was followed by a wave of others. Their heads turned in unison, eyes locking onto her like predators zeroing in on their prey. They rushed toward her, microphones and cameras raised high, the sharp clatter of their footsteps pounding in her ears. The once-distinct chatter of the crowd blended into a chaotic symphony of questions, accusations, and flashing
