Chapter 5. Trust

By the time Rose showed me to my room, exhaustion weighed me down like a boulder. After the tension of the meeting, her bubbly chatter was oddly comforting, even if I barely had the energy to respond.

"You’ll be safe here," she said with a reassuring smile. "Just try to keep a low profile for now, okay? And let me know if you need anything."

I nodded, murmuring a quiet thank you as she left.

The moment the door shut, I collapsed onto the bed, letting out a long breath. But before I could fully relax, the book came to mind. Its presence beneath my mattress was both a comfort and a burden, a secret pressing against my conscience.

I reached down and pulled it out, my fingers running over its worn leather cover. My heart pounded with anticipation.

What are you hiding?

As I