Valerie stood by the window, gazing out at the dimming skyline of the city. Her fingers traced the cold glass, her mind a tangled web of emotions. The conversation with Laura had stirred something in her, something dangerous. For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t sure what to think. Was Laura truly on her side, or was she simply another pawn in Raymond’s twisted game? But Valerie couldn't afford to question it too much, not right now. There were bigger things at play.
The clock on the wall ticked, each second dragging her closer to a pivotal moment, a moment she had long anticipated. Tomorrow was Primily's birthday, her daughter’s seventh year. The thought should have brought warmth to her heart, but all it did was fill her with a hollow emptiness. Her little girl would be celebr
