Maddie POV
"It's a man."
My mother’s words from outside the bathroom sent a jolt through me. My mind spun with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last. The shower's soothing warmth suddenly felt suffocating, forcing me to turn off the water and grab the nearest towel, wrapping it tightly around myself.
My damp hair clung to my back as I stepped out, leaving wet footprints on the cold marble floor.
I dried off quickly; my movements rushed and unsteady as I tried drying myself off. My fingers fumbled as I tied my hair into a loose bun, the strands slipping from my grasp. A deep breath steadied me, but only for a moment.
The house felt colder as I stepped into the hallway, or maybe it was just the tension hanging in the air. The polished floors stretched ahead, their
