Iris's POV
Morning light crept through the curtains like it was mocking me.
I hadn’t slept. Not really. I’d just laid in the dark for hours, replaying every second of the night, the way Rafael’s hands had felt on me, the way his voice had dropped when he whispered how much he wanted me, the way Chloe’s footsteps had stopped right outside the door. My body still hummed with leftover tension, but my mind was a storm of guilt and fear.
I got up early, before the house stirred and had a quick shower with vold water to shock myself awake. I chose a loose sweater and jeans, something safe and normal. When I looked in the mirror, I practiced my smile until it looked real enough.
“You can do this,” I whispered to my reflection. “Just be normal.”
Downstairs, the kitchen already smelled like
