Mona’s POV
I was curled up on the couch, sinking into the cushions with the TV show playing quietly in the background. The soft hum of the screen filled the room, the characters bantering in their usual sarcastic way. My mind had wandered as I absentmindedly clicked through scenes. I was trying to lose myself in their world, one where problems didn’t exist, where the world didn’t intrude with its demands.
But then it came. A knock.
A sound so sudden, so sharp, it felt like a jolt straight through my chest. My eyes flicked towards the door. I scowled, irritation bubbling up before I could even stop it. I tried to ignore it, sinking deeper into the couch, clutching the remote in my hand like it could shield me from whatever was coming.
Then—again. The knock, louder this time. It echoed t
