Chapter 80

Audrey’s POV

I’d been assigned to share a room with Chloe for the next six days, and honestly, it was torturous. Every time I saw her—her laugh, the way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear—I felt defenseless. She had an unintentional power over me that left me silent, shaking, and somehow both calm and terrified all at once.

That morning, the first rays of sunlight crept in through the curtains, painting the room in gentle gold. The soft glow made the dust motes floating in the air look like tiny fairies dancing. I shifted under the covers, relishing that warm light for a moment, before reminding myself I had to get up.

I stretched and blinked open my heavy eyes. The room was empty except for my rumpled sheets. Chloe wasn’t there. My heart twinged. Where could she have gone so early? I swung my feet to the floor and wrapped my blanket around my shoulders.

A knock sounded at the door, gentle but insistent. “Who is it?” I called, my voice hu