Chapter 165

Kate POV

The sun was setting when I stepped into a small diner tucked between two older buildings on a quiet stretch of road. It wasn’t anything impressive, just a worn-down place with flickering neon lights above the window and cracked leather booths that looked like they had survived too many years of tired conversations. The air inside carried a mix of cheap coffee, fried food, and something stale that had sunk into the walls over time. I hated it the moment I walked in, but I didn’t have the luxury of walking back out.

I needed money.

That was the only thought that stayed steady in my head, cutting through everything else.

The idea of going to Kelly crossed my mind briefly, and just as quickly, it made my stomach twist. Pride or anger or something messier than both kept me from even considering it seriously. I would rather take anything else, even something beneath me, than go back and ask her for help.

I squared my shoulders anyway and made