Maria's Point of View
The sound of shattering glass sent a jolt through my body, and the tension in the room turned suffocating. My breath hitched, my pulse quickened. I felt Kairo’s hand instinctively grab mine. The warmth of his touch contrasted the cold dread pooling in my chest.
“Stay here,” Kairo whispered, his voice low and commanding. Without waiting for a response, he was already heading toward the door.
“Kairo—” I started to protest, but Mrs. Thompson quickly grabbed my arm, pulling me back. The look in her eyes was a mix of urgency and fear.
“Listen to him,” she muttered under her breath, her usual composed demeanor cracking at the edges.
I tried to still my racing heart, every instinct screaming at me to follow Kairo. But I stayed where I was, frozen in place as the weig
