Big Brother

Cassidy

I didn't wait for Kieran to find me.

If he needed time to process, that was fine—but I needed to get to him, to do something. Something more than sitting around wondering if he'd ever walk through that door again.

I tugged on a pair of fitted black jeans, zipped up a yellow hoodie, and stepped into a pair of black boots. I tied my hair into a loose ponytail, stared at myself in the mirror for exactly five seconds, then turned away.

No makeup. No jewelry.

Just purpose.

As I stepped out into the hallway, the estate felt different. The guards posted along the corridors snapped to attention the moment they saw me.

They bowed.

Still not used to that.

I gave them a quick, shy wave. "Hi… um, yeah, you don't have to do that."

They straightened at once, but their expressions didn't shift. Alert. Loyal. Watching my every move like I was made of glass.