Ch 122: Let's talk - Part 1

She had no idea how she reached back home. Anabella had no recollection how she managed to reach the bakery and open the door to get inside. But here she was- back in her bed.

Anabella lay in her small apartment, staring at the cracks in the ceiling as the soft hum of the streetlights outside seeped through her thin curtains. Her chest felt tight with guilt. Today had been too easy — too safe.

Clair and Noah had been kind—too kind. She hated feeling like she was taking advantage of them, using their warmth and generosity like a crutch. But what choice did she have? They offered what she couldn't refuse—comfort, safety, belonging.

"I shouldn't need them this much," she thought bitterly, pressing her cold hands against her flushed cheeks. "I'm being selfish."