You better pray he is alive

### Chapter: A Cold Fury

Cindy's world seemed to collapse inward as Sam's words hung in the air, echoing in her mind like a haunting melody she couldn't escape. "Yes, Cindy, he's gone. You're free now. Free to be with me." For a moment, she wondered if she had misheard him. Her vision blurred, the room spinning slightly as the weight of the news pressed down on her chest. Her heartbeat quickened, her breath shallow, as she struggled to wrap her mind around Sam's declaration.

"Dead?" Her voice was eerily calm, the single word slipping from her lips like a whisper lost in the wind. She stared at Sam, eyes unblinking, trying to decipher any hint of falsehood in his expression. "What do you mean, dead?"