Seraphina woke up with a pain in her neck and a heaviness in her chest that made breathing feel difficult.
For a few seconds, she didn't remember where she was.
Then reality returned all at once. The empty apartment, the unanswered calls, the suspension, the video.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly. Pale morning light filtered through the dusty curtains, stretching across the floor where she had cried herself to sleep sometime during the night. Her cheek felt cold against the tiles. Her body ached from the awkward position, and her throat burned from all the crying she had done.
She stared blankly at the ceiling for a while.
The apartment was quiet..Too quiet, then, A sound.
The soft click of a key against the front door.
Seraphina's body jerked upright instantly.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as the door slowly creaked open.
For one terrifying second, she thought maybe someone had followed her.
Maybe the scandal had followed her here too.
