VALERIE
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It had been lingering all day, a feeling of unease that was at the back of my mind. The peacefulness of the house, the warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth, and Evans’ presence at my side—it should have been comforting, but instead, I felt a tightness in my chest, as if the world was closing in on me.
Evans had been doing his best to calm me down. He’d tried everything—talking to me, distracting me, even teasing me about how tense I was. But it didn’t work. Every time I tried to breathe, the air felt heavier. The tension in my shoulders only seemed to build with each passing minute. Evans had even gone so far as to make me a cup of tea, though I hadn’t touched it. I knew he was worried, and I hated that, but no amount
