**Sophia’s POV**
The next morning I woke up to the sound of rain tapping against my window. Luca’s words from the park kept turning over in my mind. His family had strong connections. They were watching me. He was trying to protect me, but he was still holding back. The photo of my apartment building on my phone made it impossible to rest. Someone had stood across the street and taken that picture. They knew where I lived.
Mum noticed at breakfast. “You look exhausted, baby. Is the play stressing you out?”
“A little,” I said. “And the project.”
She gave me a long look but didn’t push. I left early, taking the busier streets, checking reflections in shop windows the whole way. No one stood out. But the feeling of being watched stuck with me.
Riya met me at the gate. She looked better t
