Chapter 76. Suspicions

Nina’s POV

I sat on the pavement for a few minutes, surrounded by silence that felt like a thick fog. I wanted to call Alexander, hear his calm voice, and get his advice. He always knew the right thing to say and made sense of things when I couldn’t. But something held me back. Could I even put into words what was bothering me? And more importantly, should I? This was my issue, my family’s problem. Bringing him into it felt wrong.

I took a deep breath, forced myself to stand up from the pavement, and stepped into the cold evening air. It sent a shiver down my spine instantly. I pulled my coat tighter around me as I walked into the building, my footsteps echoing off the walls of the empty hallway as I made my way to my apartment.

When I finally closed the door, the familiar scent of home enveloped me—a soothing mix of lavender and vanilla. But instead of feeling calm, I felt… adrift. Like I was suspended in a strange in-between space, uncertain of m