By the time I reached the dorm, the night had already stolen every ounce of strength from me. I let my body fall onto the bed, not even bothering to undress. The mattress groaned beneath my weight, and for a long moment I just stared at the ceiling, letting all of it—the chaos, the secrets, the weight of my son—settle over me like a storm I couldn’t crawl out of.
My chest felt heavy. My mind replayed everything in pieces—the president’s words, Darren’s warning, Jessica’s insinuations, Mia’s broken sobs. They swirled around, cutting through my veins like poison.
Eventually, exhaustion did what resolve couldn’t. My eyes drifted shut, and I let sleep take me.
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The following day came fast, almost too fast. I had barely opened my eyes when I was already pulling myself into the suit Darre
