As the day drew to a close, Mary found herself once again walking the familiar route home, the weight of the day’s events pressing down on her. The relief she had felt at receiving her bonus and settling her rent had been overshadowed by Julian's sudden about-face, his renewed paranoia, and the unsettling feeling that something was terribly wrong at Thorne Industries.
Reaching her apartment building, she automatically started up the stairs, her thoughts drifting back to Mrs. Rodriguez and young Miguel. She made a detour to check on them, knocking softly on their door.
Mrs. Rodriguez opened the door, a weary smile gracing her face. “Mary, querida, how good to see you,” she greeted, gesturing for Mary to come in.
"How's Miguel doing today, Mrs. Rodriguez?" Mary asked, stepping into the sm
