Chapter 20. Staying Afloat

Zera’s POV

My heart doubled a beat when my eyes returned to rest on him, and I found him watching me. Unlike others, he wasn’t clapping; he was just watching me intently, as if I owed him something, like I had taken something that was his.

I wasn’t hallucinating when I saw him at Domino’s many days ago. Seeing him here today told me what I had seen was him. He was there that afternoon, watching me like he was doing now.

He looked the same way he did when I had seen him then and also in my dream. He had longer hair and trimmed beards, unlike five years ago, but didn’t look to have aged a bit since then.

His appearance now meant I was no longer safe with my son. Five years ago, I said goodbye to him and thought I would never see him again, but here he was where I least expected.

This was my nightmare becoming a reality, and there was nothing I could do.

“Zera, they are waiting for you.” The host whisper-yelled at me, forcing me back into the