Anna woke to the soft rays of morning light slipping through the curtains, warming the cool, quiet room. She lay there for a moment, her thoughts clouded with the remnants of the previous night—the cold tension, the rules, and the twisted marriage that had become her reality. But there was no time to dwell on it. Today, she had things to do, people to see, and a life to piece together, even if it was a life that felt like a carefully constructed lie.
Sitting up, she reached for her phone on the bedside table, her fingers brushing against the screen. She quickly unlocked it, finding a message from Emily. ‘Good luck today. Remember, you’re doing this for Lilly. Keep your focus.’
Anna smiled faintly, the reminder of her sister’s struggle grounding her. Lilly’s battle was all that mattered now.