Rose’s heart hammered in her chest as she stared at the darkened staircase. For a moment she thought maybe she had imagined it — the silhouette on the landing, the shift of weight, the creak of the floorboards. But the echo of it clung to her like a warning.
Someone was upstairs.
She stepped back into the living room, forcing herself to breathe evenly, trying not to make a sound. The murmured conversation in the kitchen continued, oblivious. Daniel trusted this place — but clearly, it wasn’t as safe as he thought.
She weighed her choices. Tell him now? Risk looking paranoid in front of his friend? Or check for herself before alerting him? The thought of being dismissed — of him giving her that patient, infuriating look that said" you’re safe because I’m here" made her hesitate.
Another
