ISABELLA
I woke up feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Not because the danger was gone—it wasn’t—but because life was beginning to feel like life again. Breakfast with Adrian. Plans for a wedding. A future that didn’t feel borrowed or fragile.
By mid‑morning, I was dressed and ready for my annual check‑up at the hospital. My mother and sister had called earlier, insisting on lunch afterward. I hadn’t seen them in months, not since the wedding, not since everything changed. Their voices sounded excited, almost relieved, and I promised I’d meet them after my appointment.
Tobias drove me to the hospital and walked me all the way to the clinic doors. He checked the hallway, the waiting room, the corners, the exits—everywhere. When he was satisfied, he nodded.
“I’ll be right outside,” he s
