SCARLETT
The moment the door shut behind me, the weight in my chest exploded into full-blown panic. My heart thundered wildly as if trying to escape my ribcage. My breath hitched, uneven and broken, and my hands trembled as I clawed at the closet door. My vision was still blurred from tears, but I didn't care what I wore—I just needed to see her. Emily. The name echoed in my skull like a cruel taunt.
Emily—the woman who had once meant everything to Zayden. The woman Vincent called "Mom."
My fingers closed around a soft sweater, and I tugged it on without looking. The fabric clung awkwardly to my damp skin. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye for a second—my cheeks blotchy, eyes swollen, hair tangled and wild. I looked like a ghost of myself. But none of it mattered now. I had to s
