Chapter 55

• Chapter 55: Echoes of Betrayal
• Elena awoke to silence, the morning sun slanting across her bedroom floor. Her body ached in places she did understand. Memories of last night flickered in her mind like a funhouse mirror—shattered, distorted, impossible to piece together. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and touched her throat, half-expecting to feel bruises. Nothing.
• She dressed slowly, each movement deliberate. The black gown from last night lay crumpled in a corner. She traded it for a simple white blouse and tired jeans, hoping the world would not notice the storm still raging inside her.