A heavy silence settled between us after her words, thick and suffocating, like the air itself had shifted.
Disappear properly.
The phrase echoed in my head, over and over, until it started to feel real. Not dramatic. Not exaggerated.
Necessary.
My fingers tightened around the letter as I stared down at it, my chest rising and falling unevenly.
“I’ve already lost everything,” I said quietly, more to myself than to her. “What else is there to take?”
“Your safety,” Victoria replied without hesitation.
My head snapped up.
“What?”
Her expression didn’t soften this time. If anything, it grew more serious.
“You think this is about money?” she asked. “About a company? Maisie, this goes far beyond that.”
A chill ran straight through me.
“They won’t just let you walk away,” she continue
