**Aloe's POV**
Mrs. Henderson brought the television on a rolling cart, her face carefully neutral as she plugged it in across from my bed.
"Dr. Chen thought you might benefit from some... current events," she said, not meeting my eyes. "To help you understand the situation."
The situation. As if my life had become a weather event that needed monitoring.
She left the remote on my bedside table and retreated quickly, closing the door with unusual haste. For a moment, I just stared at the blank screen, terrified of what I might see.
Then I pressed power.
My own face stared back at me from CNN—a photo from last year's Met Gala, where I'd worn a vintage Valentino gown and smiled for cameras while dying inside. The banner beneath read "BREAKING: FBI OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO SAVAGE MARRIAG
