[Isolde]
I texted the debt collectors that same afternoon, my fingers trembling as I typed out the message: 'I have the initial payment. Fifty thousand. When can I see my son?'
The response came within minutes: 'Tomorrow night. We'll send you the location, come with cash.'
I stared at the screen until it went dark, then pressed it against my chest like I could somehow hold onto the hope it represented.
The rest of the day, I stayed in bed. My shoulder ached, my body throbbed where Camilla had struck me with the rifle butt, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nikolai's face.
Cynthia hovered nearby, insisting on checking my bandages, bringing me water, and asking if I needed anything. Her kindness was suffocating in the best possible way, and I was grateful for it. Grateful because i
