~CHAPTER NINETY ONE~
We drive longer than necessary, the silence inside the car stretching until it becomes uncomfortable. The city disappears behind us, replaced by open land and a quiet that feels… deliberate. When the car finally slows, gravel crunches beneath the tires, and we come to a stop in a place that looks almost unreal, calm, and isolated.
The driver steps out and opens my door.
I take my phone and step out without my bag, my heels touching the ground as I pause for a second, taking everything in. The air is cooler here, cleaner, and the stillness presses against my skin.
I turn slowly, scanning the surroundings. “Where is this?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but—”
I lift my hand, cutting him off before he finishes. That ‘but`already tells me everything. He’s not allowed to say.
“T
